Making Kitchenware in Solwezi

By Derrick Silimina

As the importation of kitchenware is seemingly shrinking gradually in Zambia, some local innovative minds have captured a major share of the domestic market.

Emmanuel Kamau, 29, a resident of Kandemba area of Solwezi District in North-Western Province is one of the few young creative entrepreneurs making some cool cash from kitchenware manufacturing business. 

In 2018, Kamau with three other partners started the business venture with a minimal capital of K200. 

The business involves buying aluminum metal from various companies, melting it at high temperatures in a makeshift oven; pouring the molten metal into molds made out of sand to bring out different sizes and designs of aluminum pots. 

“This is a very good business because we have many customers who come to buy pots for instance for resale. In short, we sell our products at both wholesale and retail price,” Kamau says. 

PRODUCES 

The business produces on average 30 pots per day, depending on availability of materials. Scrap aluminum is secured at K5 per kg, and the finished products sell at prices ranging from K30 to K90 each depending on size.

He stated that with availability of materials, sales can even go up to 300 pots every month as the retail price for the biggest pot peaks at K130 each.

“This business is able to raise between K20,000 and K25,000 in terms of sales turnover, with profits coming to about K12,000 per month. Our capital base currently stands at K15,000 in terms of liquidity, and 50 per cent of the proceeds are reinvested into the business,” he explains. 

Due to restrictions of movements brought about by Covid-19 between 2020 and 2021, Kamau regrets that the business temporarily experienced some setbacks in terms of access to materials, therefore slowing down manufacturing activities. 

However, since the situation has now improved as more materials are now available, Kamau has a vision to improve the workshop by constructing a better oven, connecting electricity and purchasing equipment such as a welding and grinding machine to be used for cutting of aluminum to smaller pieces for melting.

 

“With such machinery in place, we anticipate to earn a minimum of K25,000 per month. We are in the process of registering our business with PACRA so as to tap into the vast opportunities such as financing and markets,” Kamau says. 

AFLOAT 

Despite some economic hurdles, Kamau and his partners have managed to keep the business afloat, thanks to some business tactics acquired from the Fortune World Investments’ training business workshops which are powered by Kansanshi Mining Plc. 

When Kamau was recruited for the business development programme in 2021, he was able to clear all the 24 topics. 

“The training equipped me with the ability to manage finances prudently, hence expanding the business. Currently, funds are saved via a mobile money facility. One of the attributes that I got from the training is the ability to overcome fear and be able to venture into business with confidence,” Kamau says. 

He salutes the KMP management for providing a platform of empowerment through the business training. 

That has rekindled his appetite for further training in metal fabrication to improve skills for business enhancement. 

The Fortune World mentoring team were impressed with the innovation displayed by the youthful entrepreneurs and urged them to expedite the process of registering the business and opening a company bank account. 

“Once your business is registered, it would easily be linked to the North Western Chamber of Commerce to access further capacity building opportunities,” FWIL Managing Director Mukumbi Kafuta said.