PG Industries subsidiary Zimtile is currently in discussion with Zambian authorities to set up two tile manufacturing plants in Zambia, a company official has said.
The two plants will be situated in Ndola and Lusaka and construction works are expected to start before the end of this year.
Speaking in an interview at the 48th Zambia International Trade Fair in Ndola this week, Zimtile business development officer Wisdom Kachidza said Zimtile, a subsidiary of PG Industries, was currently discussing the opening of branches in Zambia with Zambian authorities.
Kachidza said the two manufacturing plants will employ over 100 local people.
“We want to set up a depot in Ndola after the trade fair, before moving to Lusaka. The Lusaka depot works will commence after the Zambia Agriculture and Commercial Show which we are participating in,” said Kachidza.
He said Zimtile Limited offers products that are unique to the Zambian market and that the company recently introduced a new brand of roofing tiles which were among the best in Southern Africa.
“We offer products of very high quality. Our main aim for coming to this year’s trade fair is to penetrate the Zambian market and find new customers for our products,” he said.
Industry and Trade ministry principal economist in the international trade department Jennings Rukani, said Zimbabwe exhibited at this year’s trade fair in Zambia with the hope of finding business partners.
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He said so far, his ministry has held meetings with potential business partners who have shown interest in investing in Zimbabwe.
“By the end of this trade fair, we hope to widen the market base for our products by attracting and convincing Zambian show-goers to try our products,” he said.
According to ZimTrade monthly report, Zambia is one of Zimbabwe’s largest trading partners in the region although the trade balance is in favour of Zambia, but trade between the two countries was currently on the uptrend.
Zimbabwe’s exports to Zambia grew by 54% from $56 937 000 in 2009 to $87 746 000 in 2011 while imports surged from $84 306 000 to $243 941 000 during the same period, an increase of 189%.
