URL attributes its success to Bulawayo
DIVERSIFIED agro-processing company, United Refineries Holdings Limited, has attributed its success to Bulawayo’s rich industrial heritage, citing the city’s strategic location as a key factor in streamlining trade routes to its three main export markets.
Now a holding company with a diversity of product portfolio units for wider market segments, the company’s transformation dovetails with the drive to boost re-industrialisation of Bulawayo and the rest of the country, anchored on value addition and beneficiation.
In the past, URL mainly focused on cooking oil production, with key ingredients being soya bean and cotton seed.
It later added mealie-meal under the “Unity” brand to add into the product basket that also includes washing bar and bath soaps.
URL’s chief executive officer, Mr Busisa Moyo, has expressed gratitude for being part of Bulawayo’s vibrant industrial community and looks forward to continuing the journey.
“Bulawayo’s industrial heritage is at the heart of URL’s success. The city’s strategic location, ideally placed for our three major export markets, has been instrumental in streamlining our trade routes, but Bulawayo’s true strength lies in its people,” said Mr Moyo.
“For generations, they have been our loyal customers, trusting us with their needs. They are also the backbone of our workforce, the dedicated employees who keep URL running strong.”
He highlighted that the United Refineries Holdings Group began operations in 1935 in Rusape before it moved to Bulawayo in 1952 as it felt that Bulawayo was closer to South Africa, Botswana and Zambia, which were the company’s three major export markets at the time.
“The company has introduced various brands over the years, which are Roil cooking oil, Honeygold cooking oil, Sunshine cooking oil, Roil Mayonnaise, Image family bath soap, Fresh Health joy antibacterial soap, Olive green bar, Star green bar, Impala multi-purpose bar, Vogue luxury beauty soap, Unity mealie-meal, Unity white rice, Unity noodles and Nutripro stock feed range,” he said.
Mr Moyo said URL was the only cooking oil, bathing and laundry soap processor in the southern region, making it possible for them to provide a wholesome plate before every Zimbabwean in the southern region while keeping their bodies clean.
“Our company will continue to invest and expand the localisation of industrial supply drains in Zimbabwe for the benefit of other manufacturers and domestic consumers for the next 100 years,” said Mr Moyo.
He also said his company was embracing green initiatives, which are meant to protect the environment through reduction of plastic waste.
This has seen URL introducing cooking oil dispensers at different retail outlets, which will allow consumers to use containers they already have to refill.
The initiative is also meant to promote affordability of the product as this will reduce the cost of packaging. URL is one of the oldest companies that have withstood the test of time in Bulawayo and continues to be a shining example of resilience as it not only supplies critical products, but is one of the biggest employers. — -chroncle
