PPC Zimbabwe's MD vows recent investments will come good

PPC Zimbabwe's Managing Director, Kelibone Masiyane, has spoken out on the long-term commitment to the local cement market and on its recent Harare and Colleen Bawn investments.

PPC Zimbabwe has invested over US$120m in different projects in Zimbabwe since 2009 and is looking forward to do more, Mr Masiyane told NewsDay.

"We have invested over US$120m [since 2009]. Recently, we just commissioned the Harare plant at a cost of US$82m. In Colleen Bawn we installed modern great cooler at a cost of over US$35m. Here in Bulawayo we have done quite a number of initiatives involving installing bulk handling systems, palletisers as well," he said.

"You can imagine even on the decision to build our Harare plant, one had to consider which is better – do we import cement or clinker from South Africa or we invest in Zimbabwe. So, because cement is a long-time business, we are not looking at current issues only, we look at the long term and we do believe that Zimbabwe will make a turn and that investment will start paying for itself," he said.

Mr Masiyane added that "We are pushing some volumes in Harare. So from a footprint point of view we do believe that it [building the Harare grinding plant] was a right decision to do and Zimbabwe is just waiting to turn," he said.

However, imports remain a drain on potential profits. "We are engaging the government to try and get assistance around that to see how we can in the meantime reduce imports. But over and above what we can do internally as businesses we also need support from the government in terms of creating that enabling environment," said Mr Masiyane.