Kapiri Glass Factory is allegedly set to reopen its operations in July 2014 under a new local investor Chimsoro Milling Company Limited. This follows the recapitalization and re-investment into latest machinery and technology at the once defunct company and will operate under a new name called Kapiri Glass Manufacturing (KGM) Limited.
KGM General Manager Sunil Malik says the equipment is currently being installed at the factory to replace the obsolete one will enable the company produce over 75 tons of glass per day. This will translate into 21,000 tons of glass per annum or 20 million bottles per year. The glass factory will cerate employment to over 200 local people once fully operational.
KG believes there is huge demand of bottles and glass products locally and internationally adding that the company has already received business delas to supply bottles to Zambian Breweries, Pepsi and SAB Millers of South Africa. It has allegedly already secured market for its products with "international and local liquor and beverage manufacturing and packaging companies".
The revival of the defunct Kapiri Glass factory was first announced August 2012. The construction was meant to take 16 months to finish. But clearly things have slowed down a bit. It is good to see the project is still going ahead. Previous estimates suggested the KGM plant would cost in excess of US$22 million. The funding sources include PTA Bank, Development Bank of Zambia and Chimsoro Group of Companies (owned by Costain Chilala).
AUTHOR
Chola Mukanga | Economist
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