The Sunday News
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
DINSON Iron and Steel Company (Disco)’s multi-billion-dollar steel plant in Manhize in Chirumhanzu, Midlands Province is 45 percent towards completion with the company set to use some products from its subsidiaries to feed into the giant iron and steel plant.
Valued at US$4 billion, the integrated project — which encompasses mining, processing and beneficiation — straddles Mashonaland East, Midlands and Mashonaland West provinces, was officially launched by President Mnangagwa in early October.
It is expected to create up to 14 000 upstream and downstream jobs, with an initial target produce of 600 000 tonnes of steel per annum.
Disco is a subsidiary of the world’s largest stainless-steel producer, Tsingshan Holdings and is building Africa’s largest steel plant in Manhize at a capital outlay of US$1 billion.
Responding to questions from Sunday News Business, the projects manager, Mr Wilfred Motsi said the iron and steel manufacturing plant is designed to manufacture carbon steel by the chemical reduction of iron ore using an integrated manufacturing process.
“Disco has not started production at this stage, we are still at the construction stage which we can proudly say that we are at 45 percent towards the completion of the steel plant. However, Dinson Group in Zimbabwe has other subsidiaries which their products will feed into the giant iron and steel plant.
“Major raw materials required for the production of iron and steel are coking coal, iron ore concentrate, limestone, dolomite, clinker and gypsum among others.
The site of what will be Africa’s biggest iron ore mine and a carbon steel plant in Manhize, Mvuma in Midlands Province
Most of the raw materials would be sourced locally. However, because of the latest technology which will be used for the production of iron and steel most of the machinery will be imported from China and other components sourced locally.
Therefore, this project will bring technology transfer from China,” said Mr Motsi.
He did not state when the entire plant was expected to be complete.
The project manager said in terms of operations the iron and steel manufacturing plant is designed to manufacture carbon steel by the chemical reduction of iron ore using an integrated manufacturing process.
“The iron from the blast furnaces is converted to steel in a basic oxygen furnace (BOF) as well as in electric arch furnaces (EAF). The BOF will be utilised for high tonnage production of carbon steel while the EAF will be targeted for low tonnage speciality steel. Pig iron will be manufactured from sintered, pelletised and lump iron ores using coke and limestone in a blast furnace.
“We are producing 150 000 metric tonnes of coke per year at Dinson Colliery in Hwange. Coke is a key input for the iron and steel blast furnace processes. At Dinson Colliery we are currently employing over 700 people and indirectly 3 000 people are benefiting from the project. We are also generating foreign currency from the export of surplus coke for our requirements,” said Mr Motsi.
He said they also had Afrochine Smelting in Chegutu as one of their subsidiaries where they are producing 200 000 tonnes of ferrochrome.
Mr Motsi said once completed the iron and steel plant will also see the local community benefiting through the construction of enabling infrastructure such as a dam, road, bridges, power transmission lines, schools, communication networks, accommodation and health facilities.
“Chirumhanzu and Chikomba districts are in the process of developing a masterplan for a new town with modern infrastructure and modern social amenities.
In a few months Manhize will be urbanised which will see the problem of unemployment solved and reduced, high transportation and efficient transport facilities will be improved, more education opportunities will arise and internet and communication connections will be available. “All these economic and social benefits will bring development in Manhize. This will further help to alleviate the unemployment problem in Zimbabwe and more women will be empowered in the process,” he said.
Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Larry Mavima (centre), accompanied by Mr Benson Xu, arrives at a Government inter-agency consultative meeting at the site of the US$1 billion steel plant investment in Mvuma by Chinese investor Tsingshan through local company, Dinson Iron & Steel Company. Mr Xu is the managing director of Dinson Iron & Steel
Meanwhile, the company has revealed that they were very sensitive to gender mainstreaming, which will see them employ women into a number of key positions.
The company’s managing director, Mr Benson Xu, said to date they have women who are working as mechanics, crane operators, drivers, builders, engineers, and excavator operators.
“We have employed the best women operators in these categories which are dominated by men and our major drive is to empower more women at Manhize.
“In terms of Dinson Group subsidiaries for the three entities we are operating here in Zimbabwe, we are advocating to empower more women and as a company in our social corporate responsibility we are assisting the girl child in the surrounding schools in their education advancement,” said Mr Benson.
He said at Manhize they were inundated with employment applications mostly from prospective female employees with four in every 10 applications being from women which he said they will consider once the iron and steel production lines start operating.
“If we combine our three entities, we are proud to say the ratio of women to men is 1:5 and our desire is to reduce this ratio to 1:3, and if the ideal is to be achieved, we wish to have 1:2 and 1:1 it will be our greatest desire,” he said.
