Turnall Holdings Limited is set to resume production of the inverted box rib (IBR) roofing sheets at the end of the first quarter of 2023, with the plant expected to initially operate at 60 percent capacity, chairman of the organisation, Mr John Mkushi, said last week.
Thereafter, the company would ramp up production to meet the growing demand.
The production of IBR was suspended in 2019 to pave way for the refurbishment of the plant.
Mr Mkushi said production of IBRs will commence by end of March, having missed the initial target of December 2022.
“Our IBR sheeting line is now scheduled to commence production by the end of the first quarter,” Mr Mkushi said.
Listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, Turnall makes a range of construction materials including ceiling boards, roofing sheets, concrete products, flat sheets, ceiling moulds, piping products for water and sewer reticulation pipes among others.
Mr Mkushi said the IBR plant would improve the company’s product offering, which would place Turnall in a better position to take advantage of the growing construction industry being largely driven by public and private sector-driven projects.
Turnall is also refurbishing its Harare fibre cement plant and production is expected to commence during this quarter.
“The refurbishment of our Harare fibre cement production line is now 55 percent complete and we expect it to be operational from the beginning of the third quarter 2023,” Mr Mkushi said.
The refurbished plant will result in significant cost savings and improved product availability.
In the period ended September 30, 2022, Turnall’s turnover in historical terms increased by 282 percent and by 13 percent in inflation-adjusted terms despite a volume reduction of 34 percent.
The company said the decline in volumes was mainly due to a change in the sales mix, which was skewed towards high-value and low-tonnage building products.
However, the group is expecting a positive outlook. – The Herald
