Nampak Limited, a South African glass maker for the beverage industry has agreed with partners to build glass bottle manufacturing plants in two of Africa’s most populous countries, Nigeria and Ethiopia.
The company said that it wants to take advantage of growing demand for packaged consumer goods and bottled drinks in Nigeria and Ethiopia.
Nampak, which is based in Johannesburg, said that it has reached a preliminary agreement with a partner for a factory in Ethiopia and is now seeking financing for the project with potential cost of $68 million, Chief Executive Officer, Andre De Ruyter, 47, said in an interview with Bloomberg Business News.
He added that it will help supply drinks makers, Heineken NV and Coca-Cola, Inc. He also said that Nampak has “made good progress” on a Nigerian factory.
“Africa is the story for us,” De Ruyter said. “People talk about Latin America, they talk about India, China or other emerging markets, but we think the opportunity that we’ve got in Africa is so big and this is what we know we can do well.”
Consumer good companies such as US retailer, Walmart and brewer SABMiller are expanding in Africa because of rising household incomes. Many people are moving away from subsistence existence and becoming consumers of packaged goods for the first time, De Ruyter said, creating a growing market for can and bottle manufacturers. Nampak is Africa’s largest beverage can manufacturer.
“There’s a youth bulge of people reaching drinking age” in Africa, De Ruyter said. Producing glass bottles and cans “makes a lot of sense.”
Nigeria with a population of about 177 million has 44 percent of its population under the age of 15 while 46 percent of Ethiopia’s 97 million people are below that age, according to US Census Bureau data. That compares with 16 percent of the 403 million people who live in the Euro.
Nampak is expanding outside of South Africa to help offset declining profit margins in its home market.
The company said that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a local partner in Nigeria. They added that a site for the factory has been identified, with access to natural gas and water and they have commenced a feasibility study. The company plans to spend about $100 million in the Nigerian plant, which it hopes to be completed in about three years.
The company is also looking for an Angolan glass factory although it’s still “very early days,” according to De Ruyter.
Nampak will consider expanding its can production by doubling capacity in Nigeria and looking at potential third can line in Angola, De Ruyter said.
Between the late 70s to 90s metal Toyo Glass company flourished in Nigeria,and the factory located along Lagos Badagry express roadwhere i worked before travel out of the country in the production section ,and very doubtful if the company still exist today. Nampak should be very vigilant of the kind of staff to manage the marketing and logistic transportation.I recalled those Guys in the dept build mansions within few years of their employment,and iam not trying to discredit the people but that was why many company went under in Nigeria. They simply load a truck without manifest and divert the goods to ready outside buyers.Philips electronics was another very good example that grounded to a halt due to bad employees behavior.If these company operating very smoothly without corrupt both junior and top Nigerians management imagine how many million more jobs these company could have been created over these decades. Nigerians are number one enemy of themselves. Lastly i encourage Nampak to operate in the largest economy in the continent but be vigilant.
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At Joe , you are absolutely correct.it is so sad in Nigeria in manufacturing sector particularly. Bad employees behaviours in Nigeria is number one enemy of economic productivity and development in Nigeria. Yoruba and Igbo people are the worst. I am a Yoruba man. I can tell you that work place corruption in Nigeria is greater than the endemic political corruption. Well paid supervisors and managers are the worst. After begging to get a job, the become bottomless pit into which the company loose money. They don’t care if the company goes under tommorow and denied employment opportunities for thousands of other people. They have done t to me in my small company. And from outside, I have seen them do it repeatedly in big companies. 98% of Supervisors and managers in warehouses, depots, logistics, sales and marketing will never enter heaven if there is one.
Good day,
i will love to have a special glass and can bottle for our manufactured wine and alcohol products, kindly give us more information about it; Looking forward to your reply.
Thank you.
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I have some used wine bottles for sale anyone interested should reply this comment thank you