Iron sheet manufacturers pleased with demand

Some iron sheet manufacturers in the country say despite more players entering the industry, there is a lot of demand for their products.

The manufacturers, Supa Sakuwa Limited, Lasec Limited and AHL Chemicals and Steel Limited say the construction industry in the country is growing very fast; hence the need for more players in the industry.

The comments come at the time the DPP government is contemplating of subsidising iron sheets and cements as entailed in the party’ manifesto to enable more people build habitable houses.

Supa Sakuwa sales executive Enock Chithonje said despite his organisation being new on the market, they have made inroads to the extent that they complete three coils of 4.5 metric tonnes pay day to make iron sheets.

“We are relatively new on the market but we have a big customer base. Sometimes we run of out of raw materials because many construction companies are happy with our products. Even Malawians who do not have enough money can afford our sheets because they are affordable,” said Chithonje.

Chithonje said as a new company they have already employed 20 members of staff in various departments such as sales, accounts and marketing.

“We have invested over K60 million and our brand of sheets is very wide that one need to use less sheets when roofing a house,” said Chithonje.

Lasec administration manager Stanley Nyirongo said the demand for IBR sheets has been going up every year, compelling his company to venture into the corrugated iron sheet manufacturing.

“If you can check on the market there are so many school blocks being built around the country and having seen a gap in the industry we decided to start making the sheets. Since people are building houses each and every day the country needs more iron sheets and new companies can still come in,” said Nyirongo.

AHL Chemicals and Steel Limited general manager Adamson Tong’o said the construction sector has spurred the roofing materials manufacturing business.

“The competition in this sector is very high but as a company, we are managing quite well. Of late we have seen more and more companies coming in and that coupled with the importation of finished products from China and other countries has made competition high,” said Tong’o.

According to Tong’o, with stiff competition they want to produce quality products which are also affordable to many Malawians.

“We are happy with the way the construction sector is booming and we will make sure that we produce quality products that are competitively priced,” he said.