ZAMBIA Forestry and Forest Industries Corporation (ZAFFICO) will invest US$35 million in a new particle board manufacturing plant in Kalulushi District in Copperbelt Province.
Company director of strategy and business development Khayalami Ngono said the factory is expected to minimise imports and expand Zambia’s footprint in regional timber exports.
In an interview at the weekend, Mr Ngono said the new plant, which will be constructed about 100 metres from the sawmill, on a 16-hectare piece of land, will be implemented under an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract by China FOMA, one of the world’s leading wood machinery manufacturers.
Mr Ngono said the project will take 18 months and the contractor is currently on site mobilising.
Zambia currently imports most of the materials used in kitchens, cabinets and furniture manufacturing, leading to significant foreign exchange losses.
“Our goal is to reverse that by producing locally, satisfying domestic demand and becoming an exporter,” he said.
Once set up, the factory will begin producing particle boards by next year. It is also expected to boost ZAFFICO revenues.
Mr Ngono said the plant is expected to primarily serve the domestic market before supplying neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the wider COMESA and SADC regions…
