…Bulldozer firm to set up shop in Zim
…To engage NRZ on rolling stock supply deal
TINASHE MAKICHI
Russian bulldozer manufacturer, CHETRA Industrial Machinery Company, is looking at setting up operations in Zimbabwe as it seeks to take advantage of the country’s booming mining sector.
CHETRA is sole distributor of the biggest Russian manufacturer of earthmoving heavy machinery.
Today CHETRA is trading over 40 types of the heavy crawler machinery for oil and gas industry, mining industry, road building and construction industry and rail road.
The entrance of CHETRA comes as the Zimbabwe mining sector has been registering a steady growth with the coming in of new players.
Russian platinum venture, Great Dyke Investments, Prospect Resources, Vast Resources and Premier Africa Minerals forms part of new mining companies that have taken the local mining landscape by storm.
CHETRA executive director, Antonov Vladimir, told Business Times this week that Zimbabwe offers various opportunities for his company and efforts were underway to have its presence.
“We have been in Zimbabwe but only through an office of engineers who were stationed here in Harare for the servicing of CHETRA machines which were being used at DTZ-OZGEO mines.
Now we have decided to have another dance with the Zimbabwean market,” Vladimir said. “We are of the opinion that Zimbabwe has various opportunities for us to tap into.
There are new mines coming in which may require heavy earthmoving machines so we have since started engaging those potential customers.”
“Our ultimate goal is to set up an assembly plant in Zimbabwe once the market grows. Our idea is to move volumes rather than focusing on profit.”
CHETRA is also looking at engaging the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) on possibilities of supplying rolling stock for the state-owned rail company.
NRZ has already opened investment opportunities to organisations with the capacity in order to generate funding for the recapitalisation initiative with a view to restoring operational capacity and capability to profitably support economic activity.
NRZ requires a capital injection of US$400m in the short to medium term to return to profitability. NRZ will embark on a phased recapitalisation project to restore operational capacity and return to profitability in the short term.
The recapitalisation project will involve the rehabilitation and renewal of plant, equipment, rolling stock, track, signalling and telecommunications infrastructure and the supporting Information Technology systems.
“Taking advantage of our rolling stock manufacturing plant based in South Africa we are going to engage NRZ on possible areas of collaboration.
We believe a vibrant railway system will help in boosting Zimbabwe’s economy,” Vladimir said. In the outlook, Vladimir said Zimbabwe needs to abolish current punitive exchange control regulations.
