Construction of one of Africa’s largest chemical plants for clean water worth Sh250 billion ($112 million) has been inaugurated.
The plant, to go under the name Msufini Company, and which will take 23 months to start production, is a joint venture of Junaco Tanzania and Serba Company of Malyasia. Upon completion, the plant will create jobs for 1,000 people.
Once operation starts, the plant will provide a market for 2,500 tonnes of salt without iodine per year.
Industry, Trade and Investments minister Charles Mwijage, who laid the foundation stone on behalf of Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan, yesterday said the investment will help the government cut cost of importing the chemicals for treating water. In the joint venture, the Tanzanian company owns 75% of the shares.
As for the product, 80% will be for the export market, particularly the Asian, East African and parts of the European Union, and the remaining will be for the domestic market. Junaco Tanzania chief executive officer Justine Lambart said the chemical products for water treatment for the domestic market will be generated using salt sourced from the Coast Region.
Further, he explained the project will be in two phases for chlorine chemical and second phase of other byproducts. Tanzania currently imports chloride for treating water. The plant capacity is to produce 16 tonnes of chlorine per month.
Serba Company’s group CEO Karim Abdullah said “We’re ready to bring our global experience to this country. We promise to work together in making sure that Tanzania’s industrialisation endeavour succeeds.”
