ZAMEFA doubles copper rods output
By Business Reporter
ZAMBIA Metal Fabricators (ZAMEFA) is to double production of Copper rods which is currently pegged at 15,600 per annum by June this year.
ZAMEFA plant manager, Luis Corte said at the weekend in Luanshya that the company had embarked on the expansion of the copper casting plant whose first phase would gobble up US$1.3 to US$1.5 million.
“We are going to double the production of copper rods by June this year. The project will cost US $1.3 to US$1.5 million in the first phase,” he said.
Mr Corte said the aim of the expansion was to increase on exports and efficiency. He said 70 per cent of 15,600 tonnes of copper rods produced annually were exported.
He added that the expansion works had already begun at the plant saying the casting machinery would be acquired from Finland.
Mr Corte said ZAMEFA was exporting most of it’s products to South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania.
The company had now penetrated France and Sweden and was now targeting the Indian market, he said.
And ZAMEFA chief executive, Jose-Luis Revuelta said the company had become intentionally certified after privatisation.
He said from 1998 the company had been profitable and got a certificate from the South African Bureau of Standards.
Mr Revuelta said it was the company’s policy to continue expanding and seeking new markets.
“The company policy has been one of expanding and seeking new markets,” he said.
ZAMEFA wanted to turn copper into value added products before it was exported, added.
