Online Reporter
Sikhulekelani Moyo [email protected]
ONE of Zimbabwe’s oldest manufacturers, Treger Products, says targeted Government policies and support from industry bodies have been critical in keeping its doors open and sustaining about 800 jobs across the country.
The company’s marketing director, Ms Sithokozile Ndlovu, told delegates at the Bulawayo Investment Indaba on Thursday that without intervention from different Government ministries and partners such as the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) and the National Competitiveness Commission, the family-owned company would not have survived the last two decades.
“Formulation of good strategies and help from different Government ministries, and policies crafted for survival of the manufacturing sectors, and support from other industrial bodies like CZI, National Competitiveness Commission, the town councils, and the regulatory authorities have made us remain in business,” said Ms Ndlovu.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Government officials that are in this room for a job well done, to keep us alive.”
Treger Products was established in 1911 and is headquartered in Bulawayo.
Ms Ndlovu said the company now operates six divisions and produces more than 400 product lines.
The divisions include a steel division for building materials and hardware; Kango Products for kitchen utensils; Treger Houses for kitchen furniture, appliances, office and school furniture; Treger Plastics for home, agricultural, commercial and industrial plastic products; Treger Harare for steel roofing and wire products; and Zimbabwe Grain Bag for industrial packaging for agriculture, mining and commerce.
“Our products are a pillar for all economic and industrial sectors, and sustainability of all Zimbabwe lives,” said Ms Ndlovu.
“From the time we were born, as we grew up at school, when we got married, to build our own homes, as we work in different economic sectors, our products are an enabler for growth.”
Ms Ndlovu said the last 20 years brought three major hurdles, all of which the company addressed with a mix of internal investment and stakeholder support.
To deal with high energy costs that limited output, Treger invested in automated press lines and more efficient machines that use less electricity.
Ms Ndlovu said shareholders provided lines of credit when bank funding was insufficient. The company also switched some operations to gas and is now rolling out solar to power manufacturing.
“We have state-of-the-art factories… these state-of-the-art factories have helped us to increase our production capacity, and also to lower some of our production costs, and also address issues of power usage,” she said.
With 90 percent of its steel needs imported, the company invested in Treger Plastics to set up an in-house recycling plant.
The plant buys plastic waste from local communities and informal collectors, creating income opportunities while supplying raw material for pipes, sheeting and household products.
“We collect thousands of tons of plastic waste every year and turn it into high-quality water pipes… and also provide local farmers with long-lasting, affordable irrigation tools,” said Ms Ndlovu.
She added that Government support to grow local steel production to meet Treger’s demand for 10 000 tons a year would help the company move from 60 percent to full capacity.
As big wholesalers shrank, Treger set up its own trader outlets in Bulawayo in eNtumbane, Plumtree Road, the CBD and next to Rankini — and in Harare to ensure smaller traders could access stock.
“We don’t want to see the community or our customers failing to access our products. And with this move, we are now able to interact more with our end users,” she said.
With 2 800 employees, Ms Ndlovu said Treger remains committed to job creation and skills development through its in-house tool room that trains apprentices.
The company is also seeking partnerships with Government and investors to supply the health sector with locally manufactured equipment, and is calling on developers and hardware businesses to partner with it on infrastructure projects.
“Tregers is a big company. There is a very big benefit of partnering with established manufacturers. We are experienced. We have invested. Everything is available at your doorstep,” she said.
“We welcome all investors and technology providers and trade partners to join us through business partnerships, export deals and technology agreements.”
The Bulawayo Investment Indaba 2026 is running under the theme “Unlocking Strategic Investment Opportunities for Sustainable Industrial Transformation.”
