With an investment of around eight million dollars, it is expected that the industrial unit will start operating in January next year, employing at least 100 young people. In a first phase, production will be focused on latex gloves, and then plans to be extended to syringes, surgical masks, bandages, adhesives and hospital gowns.
"Angola will be a pioneer in Africa in this project, which will generate new jobs and collect revenue for the state coffers, with the export of these materials", stressed the administrator, Fernando Costa.
It is expected that about 40 to 50 percent of production will be exported, provided that it can be done at competitive costs.
The official also explained that, after the structure was erected in July 2019, the equipment assembly is now “quite advanced”. To Jornal de Angola, he said that the refining of the boiler feed pipes is currently underway, pending the arrival of material for automation of the production line, which will come from China. The factory will then enter a test period, scheduled between August and December.
The process is currently delayed by two to three months, taking into account the coronavirus outbreak that hit China, causing the closure of material supply companies.
Another of the constraints presented by the company's management is related to the Value Added Value (VAT), in force since October. According to the official, this new tax regime has been increasing the costs of importing raw materials.
Latex is the main raw material, and the production of gloves of this type is made with 16 other chemicals, which are imported from Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.
Archer Mangueira, a former finance minister and now governor of Namibe province, visited the industrial unit, receiving additional explanations about the project and its importance for the local and national economy.
