Kapiri Glass Factory is set to reopen its operations in July next year 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 told ZANIS that 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.
He said this translates into 21,000 tons of glass per annum or 20 million bottles per year.
Mr. Malik said the glass factory will cerate employment to over 200 local people once fully operational.
He said the state of the art glass manufacturing machinery which includes furnaces has been sourced from Technical Partners Glass Services of Italy and Emhart Engineering of Germany.
“We are ready to commence with full operations at Kapiri Glass factory in July 2014 after installing the machinery.
He said 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.
“We have already secured market for our products with international and local liquor and beverage manufacturing and packaging companies, so we shall not fall short of customers for our products,” Mr. Malik said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Malik has appealed to the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) to ensure stability and uninterrupted electricity supply to the factory in order to cut on power related costs of production.
Mr. Malik said his company has since applied for special tariffs on electricity and furnace oil, components which he said will account for about 35 percent of the total cost of production.
“we have appealed to ZESCO and government to assist us with regards to lowering the cost of production on two components that is electricity and furnace oil so that the company operates profitably and continue offering jobs to the local people”, Mr. Malik said.
And ZESCO has assured KGM LTD that it will supply the company with adequate energy to facilitate efficient operations at the firm.
Kapiri Mposhi District ZESCO Area Manager, Fitz Chikosola said ZESCO will supply a 8.4 km 5MVA line to the factory.
“ZESCO will provide adequate power to KGM LTD but Management should also look at installing a standby generator so that in cases of abrupt interruption of supply they can use that as a back-up so that their operations are not affected,” Mr. Chikosola said.
Over the years the glass company has exchanged hands of investors, mostly foreign, who have failed to restore its operations until Chimsoro Milling Company Limited proprietor, Costain Chilala bought-off the assets and business of the company from the vendor, KGP (in receivership) and ZANACO, the debenture holder at the total cost of US $230,000 in 2004.