At the 7th SADC Industrialisation Week in Harare last week, three local companies received awards for their excellent products and services.
Bitumen World Zimbabwe was the second runner-up for Company of the Year in the Large Enterprise category.
Peace Security Company Service won the Service of the Year award for Large Enterprises.
Chilmund Chemicals, which makes Aluminium sulfate used in water treatment, received the Best Exhibition Stand award.
The awards recognized companies that stood out during the event.
Other winners included:
Big Tree Beverages from Zambia for Company of the Year in the Large Enterprise category.
M.A. Dlamini Consulting Engineers from Eswatini for Company of the Year in the Small and Medium Enterprise category.
Zambezi Portland Cement from Zambia for Product of the Year in the Large Enterprise category.
Big Tree Beverages also won Exporter of the Year in the Large Enterprise category.
Municipal Council of Manzini Laboratory from Eswatini won Service of the Year in the Small and Medium Enterprise category.
Baharan Lda Furniture from Mozambique won Product of the Year in the Small and Medium Enterprise category.
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Ms. Angelle Ntumba from the SADC Secretariat spoke about the need for SADC countries to focus on industrialization and invest in adding value to their products instead of just exporting raw materials and importing finished goods. She also stressed the importance of developing clear policies for economic zones to support regional businesses.
Mr. Nicholas Bhero from Chilmund Chemicals praised the award as recognition of their commitment to quality and innovation. He said it shows their role in advancing the region’s industrialization.
The SADC Industrialisation Week is an annual event aimed at promoting trade and investment within the SADC region. It is held before meetings of senior officials and leaders, which will take place from August 9 to 18, 2024, in Harare.
The SADC Industrialisation Strategy was introduced in 2014 and aims to help the region become more competitive and improve living standards. Trade within SADC has been increasing, with intra-SADC trade rising from 20% in 2021 to 23% in 2022, compared to the 14% average for Africa. The strategy is being implemented in two phases, with the current phase running from 2021 to 2050.
