Two Limpopo companies will get an opportunity to showcase their products and services in Mozambique when they participate in the Maputo International Trade Fair, commonly known as FACIM which is taking place from 27 August-3 September 2017. The participation of Tawanda Water Initiative and Tlanggape Upholstery in FACIM has been made possible by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti). FACIM is an international multi-sectoral trade fair held annually to showcase Mozambique as an attractive destination for trade and investment.
The Business Development Director of Tawanda, Mr Peter Malebana says he is optimistic that his company’s waste and drinking water management solutions will attract the attention of the Mozambicans. Tawanda, which employs sixteen people, provides innovative solutions for the treatment of municipal, industrial and residential drinking and waste water. It is located in the Seshego Industrial Park which was renovated by the dti last year at a cost of R21 million.
“Last year we visited Maputo to look for opportunities there and we realised that the whole city is experiencing a problem with the sewerage system. Our participation in FACIM will provide us with the perfect platform to introduce our services and products to hotel groups, property developers, estates and office blocks owners, and municipalities. These are the people who will benefit most from our waste water treatment plants which will enable them to recover 95% of their waste water for reuse. We are also targeting the Mozambican farming community with the aim of supplying them with water tanks,” says Malebana.
He adds that opportunities provided by the dti for companies to take part in international exhibitions will increase South Africa’s exports to various parts of the world. His company signed a R30m deal with a Zambian company for the construction of a waste water treatment plant in their potato processing factory. The deal was negotiated at the Copper Belt Mining Trade Exhibition in Zambia which the dti assisted Tawanda to participate in.
The Managing Director of Tlanggape Upholstery, Ms Annikie Mphahlele is also optimistic that her products will grab the attention of most of the 90 000 visitors who are expected to pass through the turnstiles of the popular trade fair.
Mphahlele founded Tlanggape in 2010 as an upholstery business. She expanded into furniture manufacturing after obtaining funding from the dti for the purchase of industrial woodworking machines. The furniture manufacturing workshop is situated at an industrial site in Nirvana and a range of products include contemporary furniture and kitchen units.
“We started exporting our products in 2014 when the dti invited us to be one of the companies which are exhibiting their products in a permanent South African showroom called The Lifestyle Hub in Atlanta, in the United States of America. Now we are looking forward to exploring possible opportunities in Mozambique so we can also export our products there,” says Mphahlele whose husband Irish will be travelling to Maputo on behalf of the company.