The Sunday News
Nkosilathi Sibanda, Business Reporter
BULAWAYO-BASED mining equipment firm, Mineazy Mining Solutions made its debut exhibition at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) that ended in Bulawayo on Friday, heeding the Government’s call for the private sector to support the business expo.
After making strides in expanding branches in the greater parts of mining communities in Matabeleland South over the years, Mineazy Mining Solutions saw it fit not to miss out on the opportunity to avail its services during the country’s biggest trading showcase last week.
The ZITF ran from Tuesday to Friday under the theme “Showcasing the New Normal for Business and Industry: Realities and Opportunities” Mineazy Mining Solutions general manager Mr Khumbula Dube, in an interview at the exhibition centre said participating for the first time gave the company the exposure to more markets countrywide and in the southern African region.
The company was one of a handful of private players in mines equipment supply chain that committed to be part of the 61st edition.
“This is our first time this year and we are excited to have been part of this grand business expo. This year we made inroads in expanding our business outside the city of Bulawayo. We have opened branches in Gwanda, Filabusi and Esigodini where there is a lot of mining activity. This is a start in our drive to offer the best of mining supplies equipment in the country. With regards to the ZITF participation, it has opened our eyes and brought us closer to our clients, in particular those that we had never interacted with. While we boast of having opened new branches, we are also hopeful of clinching beneficial deals elsewhere.”
At its exhibition stand, Mineazy Mining Solutions displayed an array of essential equipment, some that is of importance to even the small-scale miners who make the bulk contribution to the country’s net mining revenue.
“We had the most sought after equipment on display because we knew what the mining market wants. We worked on a needs assessment strategy, where we spotted that for us to make an impact, we had to be relevant to the needs of the industry.”
He said they are soon to launch a consultancy division that will dwell on metallurgy, geology, mining and survey. When the company launched one of its popular branches earlier this year, Mr Dube said research, development and import substitution were at the heart of the firm’s expansion plan.
He said these were the key ingredients in reviving the country’s economy through mining. Mineazy Mining Solutions’ first date with ZITF made for a renewed interest among business leaders in the equipment manufacture and supply chain who admitted that import substitution was key in ensuring good returns, in particular for the artisanal and small-scale miners.
Import substitution is widely mentioned in the National Development Strategy (NDS1), where emphasis is placed on every economic activity to adopt a policy that replaces foreign imports with local production. Players in the mining sector have for long relied on equipment from South Africa and China, a situation that suppressed local industrial growth.
“We have to take seriously the issue of import substitution in the mining industry. That also calls for investment in research and development. Mining is positioned to change the fortunes of the country. We foresee a bright future in Zimbabwe’s mining industry but that needs to be supported by research especially on how local companies can find innovative ways to manufacture spares and reduce dependency on foreign machines,” Mr Dube said.
The country’s local mining market only supplies 10 percent of mining equipment needed by the industry, according to statistics from the Zimbabwe Mining Federation.
