Mining industry growth expands packaging niche

AFRICA’S MINING industry – presently in a high demand phase in a number of countries – continues to drive demand for a number of spares and servicing parts to maintain infrastructure and production. Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo have undertaken mine expansion and a number of new mines have been established for copper, cobalt and other commodities in the ongoing wake of higher prices driven by demand from mainly Chinese economic development and expansion. Sales and marketing director of Wadeville-based Outsource Packaging, Brett Vaughan, says the demand for packaging of pump spares, valves and specialised control equipment for Africa’s mines can account for as much as 70% of its business into the continent. The balance is more general, but there is still a high demand for specialist packaging of telecommunications equipment for African countries such as Nigeria. “Despite items such as valves and spares which are generally hardy by nature, they require specialist crating and handling for security reasons due to the fact that these are normally smaller, lighter, easily stolen and are relatively expensive,” he explained.