ZimTile commissions US$1m brick plant
ZIMTILE commissioned a US$1 million cement brick manufacturing plant in Adelaide Park, Harare, on Friday, as the company diversifies from the predominantly roof tile business.
The plant has the capacity to produce 400 000 bricks per day, which will increase capacity in a sector that sometimes is overwhelmed by demand, especially in terms of the supply of clay bricks during the rainy season given most manufacturers depend on natural weather to dry bricks.
ZimTile said it expects the new product to stimulate its sales volume uptake given the growing individual home constructions and Government projects around the country, which has seen brickmakers struggle to satisfy the domestic market demand.
This comes as the company has set its eyes on increasing output through expansion projects and decentralisation of its services to most parts of the country riding on its proposed plan.
The company indicated that it is optimistic about better business prospects in the future considering the number of housing and Government infrastructure construction projects taking place in the country.
Speaking on the sidelines of the launch event, ZimTile customer relations manager, Faith Makamure, the company will continue to supply affordable building materials to cater to the demand that exists in the construction industry.
“Today we are witnessing the official opening of our state-of-the-art brick plant located in Adelaide Park, a well-improved and developed plant which has a potential and capacity of manufacturing over 400 000 bricks per day.
“We have extended our product offering by introducing the cement brick, which is stronger, more durable, and reliable than the common brick which is available on the market.
“As a growing organisation in the construction industry, we pride ourselves in giving customers quality durable, and affordable products, and with the opening of this new plant we expect efficiency in our manufacturing and improved competitiveness of our products,” said Mrs Makamure.
She said the company had already acquired additional equipment to ensure increased output in its other operations.
Early last year ZimTile indicated that it was to double its production of tiles on the back of growing demand in export markets hence the need to grow supply to neighbouring countries like Zambia and Mozambique.
ZimTile has been operating in Zimbabwe since 1957 under Marley Roofing (South Africa). Zimtile was incorporated in 1992 after the South Africa Company disinvested and the company was acquired by PG Industries Zimbabwe in 2003 making it a wholly owned subsidiary of PG Industries Zimbabwe.
At full capacity, with maximum employment of resources, the company can produce 100 000 tiles in a day at its two production centres.
However, at different times the company has different objectives and conditions that might cause it to produce different volumes.
-herald
