|
Lusaka, Zambia, March 29, 2017
— International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) today announced an investment of $10 million each in Metalco Industries Company Limited, a Zambian company that recycles metal scrap to manufacture copper cables, lead-acid batteries, aluminum sheets and utensils.
Metalco will use the new capital to upgrade environmental standards, expand operations, create over 250 new jobs and support the local economy of Kabwe, where the company is based. IFC will advise Metalco on energy efficiency, quality control and improving corporate governance.
Kabwe is one of the world’s ten most polluted cities in terms of lead, given its history of lead mining with no formal mine closures and lack of rehabilitation. The World Bank is working with the Government of Zambia to clean up Kabwe by building infrastructure to manage waste, and by financing clinics where companies can test and treat workers for lead exposure.
Mining, although a cornerstone of Zambia’s economy, generates few long-term jobs, as the country exports copper and other minerals as commodities.
Dimitris Tsitsiragos, IFC’s Vice President for New Business, said, “IFC and OFID’s investment in Metalco will help Zambia maximize the benefits of its natural resources by developing domestic value addition activities, creating jobs and opportunities for traders, producers and entrepreneurs. The World Bank Group’s efforts to mitigate pollution and improve health care will not only allow Metalco to safeguard its workers, but also benefit residents of Kabwe.”
“Metalco is one of Zambia’s few copper cable and rod manufacturers, and the only domestic producer of lead acid batteries. IFC and OFID’s partnership will enable us to contribute to the Government of Zambia’s goal to accelerate private sector lead diversification and industrialization of Zambia. Metalco can become a best-in-class manufacturer, not only in the country, but also regionally,” said Hussein Safieddine, CEO of Metalco.
OFID’s Director-General Suleiman J. Al-Herbish commented: “Metalco is the largest employer in Kabwe. As such, the company is an important contributor to living standards, providing not only jobs, but healthcare, housing and other services. OFID is proud to be behind this project, in partnership with the IFC, bolstering the Zambian economy, local manufacturing and safeguarding employment levels and healthcare for the local population.”
In addition to Metalco, IFC has invested over $80 million in Zambia’s private sector, in projects that will support agribusiness, financial services, infrastructure and social services. OFID has supported over $190 million in public and private sector projects in Zambia across a diverse range of sectors, including energy, agriculture, transport and health.
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. Working with 2,000 businesses worldwide, we use our six decades of experience to create opportunity where it’s needed most. In FY16, our long-term investments in developing countries rose to nearly $19 billion, leveraging our capital, expertise and influence to help the private sector end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. For more information, visit
www.ifc.org
.
About OFID
OFID -- OPEC Fund for International Development is a multilateral development finance institution established in 1976 by the Member States of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The primary aim of OFID is to contribute to the social and economic development of low-income countries. By the end of February 2017, OFID had committed over US$20bn in development financing to 134 countries spread across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and Europe. For more information, visit
www.ofid.org
.
About Metalco
Metalco Industries Company Ltd is a wholly owned Zambian company in existence for over 18 years. The company began by trading in non-ferrous scrap metal and copper ore. Over the years, the company has diversified its operations to venture into other activities including recycling of Lead and Aluminum, Manufacture of Solar and Automobile Batteries, Processing of Plastic and Paper, Steel processing, high quality wide ranges of Electric Copper wire manufacturing. The company has for the past 5 years embarked on vertical expansion to protect its business from the uncertainties of London Metal Exchange price volatility which is controlled by the rule of demand and supply. The vison and strategic plan of the company is to make the country into a value addition net exporter of the finished products of the natural resources it possesses than exporter of the raw materials as well as diluting the shareholding by listing its shares (40%) on the Lusaka and Johannesburg Stock Exchange by 2020. Besides, the company is in the process of enhancing corporate governance, total quality management and energy efficiency through the engagement of IFC Advisory Services to make Metalco the world class manufacturing plant by 2020. For further information, please contact us at
Hussein@metalco.co.zm
or
Chrisain@metalco.co.zm
; +260-211-221-331 (phone), +260-211-236-061 (fax).
Stay Connected
|
