DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania on Monday launched a 52-million-U.S.-dollar pipe manufacturing industry plant in Dar es Salaam, the largest of its kind in the country.
Tanzanian President John Magufuli directed all projects using pipes to buy the pipes from the newly launched industry called Pipe Industries Company Limited, said the statement issued by the Directorate of Presidential Communication at State House.
He directed senior public officials to ensure that contractors of government projects bought locally manufactured pipes that have high quality and sold at reasonable prices, said the statement.
The statement said the industry will manufacture high density polyethylene pipes(HDPE), poly vinyl chloride (PVC) pipes and glass reinforced plastic (GRP) pipes.
The pipes could be used for water supply, sanitation, irrigation farming and mining, said the statement.
Seif Ally Seif, the managing director of Pipe Industries Company Limited, said the construction of the industry that cost about 52 million U.S. dollars was aimed at supporting President Magufuli's industrialization drive.
"We are supporting the 5th phase administration of President Magufuli by constructing such an industry that will play a pivotal role toward supplying safe and clean water to all Tanzanians by 2025," said Seif.
He said the industry has an installed capacity to manufacture 25,000 tonnes of HDPE and PVC pipes, and 40,000 tonnes of GRP pipes annually.
"But because of marketing challenges that we are facing the industry is producing only 8,000 tonnes of HDPE and PVC pipes, and 5,000 tonnes of GRP pipes annually using the most advanced technology," said Seif.
He added that plans were afoot to put up an investment of 65 million U.S. dollars toward the expansion of the industry that will see increased production and employment from the current 215 jobs to 500 jobs.
