Can Manufacturers officially launched

Can Manufacturers Botswana, a 100 per cent Botswana Development Corporation Limited (BDC) owned project was officially launched in Lobatse on August 21.

Speaking at launch, BDC Managing Director, Kenneth Mathambo said the company’s establishment emanated from the need for manufacturing and provision of cans to service the meat, fruit, and vegetable and fish market in the region.

He said this project is in line with BDC’s mandate of promoting and financing commercially viable businesses to contribute to the economic development and diversification of Botswana.

Mathambo further said the establishment of Can Manufacturers was informed by a feasibility study, which BDC undertook in 2002, which concluded that the demand for food cans in the SADC region was huge and justified the entry of additional player in the sector.

According to Mathambo, the project further availed an opportunity to develop a fully-fledged food canning industry.

“BDC has so far invested P126 million in this project. Further developments continue to be implemented by way of introducing a second line and “end-making” line,” he said, adding that at BDC they believe that they should constantly be on the lookout to capture new opportunities. “We believe that all our undertakings should transfer knowledge, skills, information and technology to promote productive employment, a competitive economy and a sound environment and further advance industrial development in the country,” Mathambo said.

Giving background to the company, General Manager of Can Manufacturers Botswana (Pty) Ltd, Booker Bannister said he is proud that his company is one of the country’s shining examples of economic diversification.

Bannister said currently the company employs 30 people and the number is set to increase in January next year, when they take delivery of two new lines at a total cost of expansion of P76 million.

Bannister added that when fully operational, Can Manufacturers will be expected to produce approximately 150 million cans annually in two 8 hours shifts 5 days a week.

Officiating at the official launch, Vice President, Lt Gen. Mompati Merafhe said the project is a living symbol of the private sector’s growing importance to the country’s economic diversification efforts. He said it was a welcome addition to ongoing endeavours to expand the manufacturing sector and improve the country’s competitiveness, both regionally and globally.

Merafhe further said BDC needs to be commended for investing P126 million in this state of the art project.

“Given that the technology here can, at full utilization, can produce up to 600 cans per minute and 500 000 cans per  day on a double shift, this is indeed a wise investment,” he said, adding that  plans are advanced to secure another production line in order to produce new types of cans for beverages and lids.

Merafhe said the project will add on to the much needed diversification of the economy of the town, which is heavily reliant on the beef industry.

“We can reduce the number of products, including cans and other containers and packaging materials, that this country imports,” he said.  Merafhe emphasized that these types of investments, which create employment, contribute to import substitution and are operated by citizen entrepreneurs, are very much in line with the Government's policy towards the industrial development of this country.

He added that Government has been taking necessary steps to create conducive conditions for the attraction of foreign direct investment and promotion of local private sector  growth and development, including and in particular, in the manufacturing sector.

“This was in clear recognition of the critical importance of the manufacturing sector to sustainable growth and diversification of the national economy,” he said.

Merafhe further added that it is abundantly clear that for Botswana to be competitive in the world economy the private sector must be able to engage in meaningful trade at national, regional and international levels in which they command a respectable market share, and offer high quality products and services.

“We are convinced that Botswana can be transformed from being a Predominantly importing and consuming country to being a manufacturing and exporting economy,” he said.