EXPANSION: Inyange industry in $27m expansion program

The current factory located at Gikondo industrial area is expected to relocate to the new location on 4.3 hectares of land in Masaka, 19 km from Kigali City. Inyange Industries, a beverage company, is constructing a $27m (Rwf14.9bn) plant to increase its output from 2976 litres per day to 360,000 litres averagely. The move is intended to meet and sustain the demand.

Monday, November 03, 2008
Inyange products. (Photo/D.K Musoke).

The current factory located at Gikondo industrial area is expected to relocate to the new location on 4.3 hectares of land in Masaka, 19 km from Kigali City.

Inyange Industries, a beverage company, is constructing a $27m (Rwf14.9bn) plant to increase its output from 2976 litres per day to 360,000 litres averagely. The move is intended to meet and sustain the demand.

Nils Zirimwabagabo, the Inyange Industry Project Coordinator, said the Inyange expansion is also aimed at widening the industry’s market base beyond Rwanda. He said that the increase in production will position the Inyange industry to benefit from the East African common market.

The new plant is expected to start operating by mid next year after undergoing being tested from February. The current factory located at Gikondo industrial area is expected to relocate to the new location on 4.3 hectares of land in Masaka, 19 km from Kigali City.

Zirimwabagabo revealed the infrastructure that includes  packaging machines and processors are being installed while some more machines are on the way.

The new plant near the proposed Free Trade Zone (FTZ) will see production of water, milk, juice products at about 5,000 litres per hour at full capacity. He said that the company also plans to process Ultra-High-Temperature (UHT) milk and long-life juices for export.

Zirimwabagabo said the new plant will be challenged with raw materials especially fruits for juices, as the plant seeks to increase its product line. He said the introduction of ‘maracuja’ passion fruit juice, a widely demanded juice, will require a steady supply of passion fruits.

In order to address this problem, Inyange administration is proposing to work with government in sensitising farmers about fruit growing with expected ready market.

According to administration, the expansion plan came after the industry facing challenges to meet the increasing demand, especially during the festive seasons.

Inyange products face mild competition from Nil mineral water from Sulfo industry and Agashya juices from Nyarangarama.

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