admin
Oliver Kazunga Senior Business Reporter
THE $200 million Pretoria Portland Cement (PPC) Zimbabwe plant to be established in Mutoko will start production at the end of next year following the completion of a feasibility study. Under the project, the dual-listed cement manufacturer would also establish a milling plant in Harare. In an interview on the sidelines of the Marketers Association of Zimbabwe conference in Bulawayo yesterday, PPC Zimbabwe managing director, Lekula Njombo, said the plant was expected to start production by the end of next year.
“Basically, we are done with the feasibility studies to set up the plant. The project to set up the plant in Mutoko and Harare cost $200 million. In Mutoko we will be producing clinker and the milling plant will be in Harare,” he said.
Njombo said the project was expected to create about 300 jobs directly and the figure was envisaged to reach up to 1,000 indirectly.
“The project is expected to start operations by end of next year,” he said.
He said his company was presently active in the regional export market exporting to countries such as Zambia and Mozambique.
However, Njombo would not be drawn into revealing their export figures.
“Locally, the sales volumes are looking good,” he added.
Meanwhile, addressing delegates at the conference, Njombo said despite the economic challenges the business community should reposition their entities.
“The local market is depressed and it’s a challenge to all of us but as business leaders when we talk we need to be positive to influence people.
“Despite the challenges such as liquidity crisis, threats of imports, high cost of labour and input costs, Zimbabwe is a world of opportunities,” he said.
Njombo noted that presently there were a lot of residential buildings being built while infrastructural development projects under construction were limited.
If construction of infrastructure projects increases, that would generate a lot of business in the country, he said.
Online Reporter