Industrial chemical manufacturer Zimchem Refiners has resumed exporting 480 tonnes per month of electrode pitch to South Africa after securing some contracts in Zimbabwe`s neighbour, the Redcliff-based company has revealed.
Zimchem Refiners Acting General Manager Tendai Shoko said deliveries to the South African customers had commenced and the company had already delivered 120 tonnes.
“We have so far, the 480 tonnes per month electrode pitch which we are supposed to supply to South Africa,” he said. “This past week we have been able to deliver to South Africa 120 tonnes and we are left with 360 tonnes to deliver to South Africa.”
Shoko said Zimchem was facing production challenges due to power disconnection at the ZISCO steel plant, which is adjacent to the chemical manufacturer. ZISCO Steel was in November switched off by power utility ZESA over a ZWL$40m electricity debt.
“ZISCO Steel has a number of challenges which include debts to the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority and ZESA has cut off power to ZISCO Steel and this has affected our company which gets its power through ZISCO Steel,” Shoko said.
The company, which was marked for financial support by the government through its 100-day project cycle, last month completed refurbishing a boiler plant for the production of tar and creosote.
Shoko said the company was now set to secure funding from the government to buy raw materials for tar production.
“I should say we have identified an engineering contractor who should do the refurbishment of our plant and this contract has been signed and should be handed over to him by the legal office, the Attorney-General`s office in a few days to come. Thereafter, we should receive funding to buy raw materials from Hwange for us to be able to produce the required road materials.”
The tar is meant to be used in the emergency road rehabilitation programme run by the government.