Chakwera appreciates the production process.—Picture by Roy Nkosi, MANA
* As he presides over the launch of the Coca-Cola Beverages Malawi polyethylene terephthalate (PET) line in Lilongwe
* Let me encourage all Malawians to take an example from the company — let’s invest in businesses that will generate incomes and contribute to the economic development of the country
By Sheminah Nkhoma, MANA
President Lazarus Chakwera has urged Malawians to be patriotic by investing in businesses that will increase incomes, and contribute to the country’s economy.
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The President said this today during the launch of the Coca-Cola Beverages Malawi polyethylene terephthalate (PET) line in Lilongwe, where he commended the company for its contribution towards Malawi’s economy.
He said the establishment comes at a time when Malawi is looking at its efforts in achieving MW2063 vision of industrialisation: “Let me encourage all Malawians to take an example from the company, let’s invest in businesses that will generate incomes and contribute to the economic development of the country.”
The President also expressed his concern over misuse of public funds by some citizens, saying it is crippling the country’s economic growth.
Coca-Cola Beverages Malawi Limited Managing Director, Neil French
In his remarks, Managing Director for Coca-Cola Beverages Malawi Limited, Neil French said they have invested about US$14.9 million for the PET line, which produces 19,200 bottles per hour, to create job opportunities and help on foreign exchange challenges.
He said the PET line will help the company stop importing products from other countries as they now have the source to manufacture in the country.
“Establishing a local bottling line will help us to save on importing plastic bottles as we previously used to import them from Zambia; but now the costs have been reduced because we are going to be producing ourselves,” French said.
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He added that the newly opened investment will create more jobs for youth and women as a way of improving the economic environment of the nation: “The introduction of new technologies at the plant has created opportunities for Coca-Cola staff to be trained as our goal is to create opportunities across the value chain.”
Also present was Minister of Trade & Industry, Vitumbiko Mumba, who described the PET line as a significant step in promoting local made products., saying: “While others claimed that investors would not come to Malawi due to unstable economic environment, Coca-Cola has invested in this plant and it is on course to create jobs for Malawians.”
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The Minister further said the recent import restrictions imposed by the government over the past two months has helped much in improving the local market as suppliers are securing local food supplying contracts.
Coca-Cola Beverages Malawi Limited is a subsidiary of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, the largest Coca-Cola bottler in Africa operating in 15 countries, including South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Mozambique, Tanzania, Botswana, Ghana, Zambia, Lesotho, Malawi among others.
