KABWE - Since reopening its production lines in April this year, Zambia-China Mulungushi Textiles has printed and dispatched about two million metres of fabric, marking a major step in the revival of the Kabwe-based plant after more than two decades of inactivity.
Central Province Permanent Secretary Milner Mwanakampwe said the achievement was significant for a facility that had remained closed for more than 21 years.
According to Diamond TV, Mr. Mwanakampwe said the newly installed machinery had the capacity to produce about 20,000 metres of fabric per day, giving the plant increased manufacturing capacity.
Speaking during a tour of the facility in Kabwe, Mr. Mwanakampwe said obsolete machinery had been removed and replaced with modern equipment as part of efforts to restore production.
He said producing close to two million metres of fabric within two to three months demonstrated the potential of the revived textile industry.
Meanwhile, Mulungushi Textiles General Manager Brigadier General Emmanuel Simenti said the company had dispatched all the close to two million metres of fabric produced since operations resumed.
Brigadier General Simenti said payments were being made as orders were dispatched, allowing production to continue smoothly.
He said the company had also increased its printing capacity from one machine to two following the introduction of a digital printer.
The digital printer, he explained, had enabled the company to handle smaller orders of about 2,000 metres, while also providing branding services for T-shirts and other clothing materials.
Brigadier General Simenti said the larger printing machine could handle bulk orders ranging from 20,000 to 50,000 metres.
The early production figures mark a significant step in the revival of Mulungushi Textiles, which had been dormant for more than two decades.
The return of the plant to production is also expected to strengthen local textile manufacturing and create opportunities for businesses that depend on locally produced fabric.
Source: Diamond TV