Sino-Zim achieves 85% local procurement
SINO Zimbabwe Cement Company (Sino-Zim), a Gweru-based cement manufacturer, says it sources 85% of its raw materials and inputs from local suppliers, but faces challenges in obtaining foreign currency to procure imports.
BY STEPHEN CHADENGA
“Although a heavy industrial manufacturer, about 85% of our raw materials and other inputs are sourced locally,” the company’s managing director, Wang Yong, said in a recent interview.
“The remaining 15% are imports in the form of consumables, spares and core services, which are the most critical and yet have become extremely difficult to purchase over the past two years.
“As an upstream industry in the industrial chain, cement industry is clearly aware of the changes in the national economy.”
Yong said, like most companies in the country, Sino-Zim faced a critical shortage of foreign currency that is needed to buy inputs for cement-making.
The cement company imports spare parts from Europe and paper bags used for packaging from Tanzania and Zambia.
Yong also revealed that the company had plans to set up a staff village at the cement plant.
“We have plans of setting up a housing project at the plant,” he said.
“Once that staff village has been set, it will ensure that we address the challenge of transporting our workers, most of whom stay in suburbs in Gweru.”
