Ziscosteel foundries and coke ovens used to manufacture mining and farming equipment

Ziscosteel can make use of its foundries and coke ovens to manufacture mining and farming equipment as it takes its first steps towards resuscitation, Zimbabwe Institute of Foundries Chief Operations Officer, Mr. Dosman Mangisi has said.
Government is currently in the process of adjudicating the steel giant’s potential investors with the hope of coming up with the best from the seven potential investors to revitalize the company.
Zisco has received bids from seven potential investors from which one will be given the task of reviving the steel giant.
The company, led by Board Chair Eng Martin Manhuwa has designed a roadmap that involves modernization and financial sustainability that will help in the revival of the company.
Part of the roadmap is the short-term revival strategies targeting resuscitation of subsidiaries and bargaining on low hanging fruits.
Mangisi however is of the idea that Ziscosteel should totally revamp and change its strategies.
“Let me start by saying as ZIF we are solidly behind the revival of Zisco, but the current state of structures at the companies is that all are now obsolete. All the steel structures including those furnaces are now obsolete. As ZIF we are urging Zisco to consider using their foundries, which are still operational, as a way of breathing life into the company,” said Mr. Mangisi.
He said all the obsolete steel should be considered as scrap, and using the foundry, the companies should consider manufacturing mining and farming equipment which are in huge demand locally.
“Zisco has a full-fledged foundry with all the necessary equipment to be able to manufacture the equipment. Using its foundry, Zisco can then take all the obsolete steel and use it to manufacture biters, bowl mills, water pumps and other equipment required by the mining and farming industry,” he said.
By doing so, the country will cut on import bills used to import the equipment from other countries. According to Mangisi, the company can also create employment.
“Currently the company is employing about 400 workers but if the foundry and the coke ovens are operational, employment can be raised to about 1500 workers.
 He said the model, based on value addition and beneficiation, can also see local companies benefitting from local scrap.
Using the coke ovens, Mr. Mangis thinks, Zisco can centralize coke manufacturing and it becomes a raw material manufacturing hub and substitute on imports.
Foundry industry is currently faced with a shortage of scrap metal and has been advocating for the government to ban exportation of scrap.
Eng Manhuwa is on record saying the company has laid out a role to be played by the company’s foundry and coking ovens.
“Zisco has several plants, which are certainly in a relatively sound condition like the sinter plant, the steelmaking plant with a new six strand continuous caster, the bar mill and the lime kiln to mention a few.  This is going to form the backbone of the company’s revival,” he said.
Eng Manhuwa said before going to the market, Zisco carried out several studies including technical evaluation, market study which brought about possible trajectories to be possibly followed.