Johannesburg-based manufacturer, Nampak, is looking to expand its operations in Africa and build glass bottle manufacturing plants in Ethiopia and Nigeria, according to news reports.
Business news agency, Bloomberg, reported that the company has reached a preliminary agreement with a partner for a factory in Ethiopia and is now seeking financing for a potential US$68 million project cost.
Nampak CEO, Andre de Ruyter, reportedly told Bloomberg that this deal would help supply drinks makers, including brewer Heineken NV and soft drinks producer Coca-Cola Inc.
Online business publication, Moneyweb, also reported that Nampak has signed a memorandum of understanding with a local partner in Nigeria and has identified a factory site with access to natural gas and water and started a feasibility study. The plant will cost as much as $100 million and will be completed in about three years.
The company also has plans for an Angola glass factory although it’s still “very early days,” according to de Ruyter.
