By HELEN ZULU –
COAL Processing Industry Limited of Ndola has invested about US$1 million into the procurement of machinery and equipment for the production of coke briquettes.
Coke briquettes are used as a source of energy alternative to coal and charcoal.
Company managing director Amrit Singh said the company had invested about US$1 billion in the purchasing of machinery and equipment for the production of coke briquettes and was planning to increase its investment by about $500 000.
Speaking at the on-going 88th Agriculture and Commercial Show in Lusaka, Mr Singh said the company started production as a pilot project in January 2013.
The company was currently giving out the coke briquettes on a trial basis and that so far it had received overwhelming response from companies and individuals.
He said Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) was supporting the company and would be buying about 1000 tonnes per month with some other mine company planning to be get about 30 tonnes per month.
Mr Singh said the company was planning of investing more into production to improve its capacity to about 3, 000 tonnes per month from the current 1, 000 tonnes.
He said with the increase in production the company was expected to employ more than 100 people from the current 20.
“We are thinking about producing 3000 tonnes per month currently we are producing 1000 tonnes per month. We expect to employ about 100 people in the near future depending on the demand of the product,” Mr Singh said.
He said the company was trying to encourage diversification among Zambians by promoting the use of coke briquettes than charcoal.
He said as everyone wanted to conserve forest by discouraging the use of firewood and charcoal the project was cardinal as it did not involve the cutting down of trees.
“We are trying to diversify from the use of charcoal to coke briquettes.
“We are showing people that they can diversify from burning charcoal to using briquettes because these are affordable and environmental friendly. Anyone can use this, especially poultry farms,” he said.
He said the company was currently operating in Ndola but was working on plans to expand to other districts in the country.
