Dete Industrial Ceramics seek partner to boost production
ONE of the country’s oldest manufacturers of ceramic and refractory products, Dete Industrial Ceramics in Hwange District, Matabeleland North Province is seeking a strategic partner to assist it in turning around its waning fortunes.
Dete Industrial Ceramics board chairman Mr Brian Mushohwe said the company was operating at its lowest ebb due to lack of adequate working capital.
Dete Industrial Ceramics is wholly owned by Ginhole Investment, which is a subsidiary of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).
The company is into manufacture of ceramic or re-factory products like bricks, tiles, furnace jackets, pavers through a re-factory plant, tourism and hospitality through a safari lodge and hotel all in Dete, Hwange. It has a bakery, service station and green garden all for servicing the local community.
“Production of late has been very low with batches of bricks and tiles being produced and marketed by the company. Capacity utilisation is, however, below 15 percent due to lack of working capital as well as old equipment which is prone to breakdowns,” said Mr Mushohwe.
He said there was also a need to replace the plant’s archaic machinery with modern technologies so as to enhance efficiency and production.
“A new semi-automated plant as well as capacitation in clay digging (mechanised rather than current manual) to increase raw material