Savious Madanhire
Dinson Iron and Steel Plant, located in the Midlands Province, unveiled its ambitious plans for the future, while also showcasing its current achievements in steel production, job creation and community development.
According to Joseph Shoko, Public Relations Officer at Dinson, the company aims to supply the entire country with steel, with a target production of 600,000 tons annually.
“We are importing almost 100% of our steel to other countries, currently we are producing deformed bars from 16mm, 20mm and 25 mm, which is the final product that can be used for construction purposes.
We actually produce 300 tons per day of these deformed bars and our target is 600 000 tons annually, hence our vision is that Dinson should supply the whole country.”
“The industrial site is located in the Midlands Province whereas the mining site where we have started is in Mashonaland east.
Iron ore is not a renewable resource but we are looking at a projected lifespan over 200 years of mining iron ore in the Manhize range.
We have started doing open cast mining and we are working together with various departments from government, hence they come and assist us in terms of mining,” Shoko added.
The company has established a 50MW power plant, which will not only provide power for the plant but also supply excess energy to the national grid.
“We have established a 50MW power plant, a 20MW is drown by the blast furnace, and we want to connect to the National Grid however we only use about 20-24MW, so the rest from the 70MW can be connected to the National grid after we are done with the requirement needed.
The only challenge we are having now is that we did a line from Sherwood to Dinson about 100 km but due to challenges we haven’t connected to the National Grid but very soon.”
”We are Intending to establish a wind power station at our place, statistics have shown that somewhere in the Manhize range they is a point with a good site for wind energy hence it has been surveyed so what is left is to mobilize funds to start that,” Shoko noted.
In addition to its economic impact, Dinson is committed to sustainability and environmental conservation.
Responding to questions raised in the panel discussion, Shoko gladly explained,”In terms of sustainability and the environment, we actually want to do proper mining where we reclaim the land we would have destroyed, in terms of dust pollution from our 23km road from the highway which was very bad, but as now we have started resurfacing the road.
We are looking forward to commission our plant in the first quarter of the year failure we will commission in the second quarter.”
“I can assure you that by then the roads will be perfect to reduce dust and environment.
Last year we hosted the tree planting day where in an effort to resuscitate the land because of the degradation that we have cause, we planted over 5000 trees in collaboration with the forestry commission which is a government entity,” added Shoko.
Dinson’s engagement with local communities extends beyond environmental conservation.
The company has donated roofing sheets to a clinic under construction in Chikomba district and has built classroom blocks.
“As part of our CSR, on Wednesday we donated over 200 roofing sheets to a clinic under construction in Chikomba district and we are producing the steel thrusts they are going to use.
We built classroom blocks with three classes each one at Manhize secondary school and Chivenheko primary school we also solarizing those two schools to introduce computers.”
“The Manhize town is now planned and the Ministry has agreed to give us land, hence we will build houses for owner employees permanently.
The new town on the plans also include a Golf club, stadium.
The town will share the boundary with the Industrial site itself. We have talked with NRZ with plans of a railway line from Manhize to Mvuma and it will proceed from Manhize to rusape to link with the Mutare – Harare railway line, this will cut costs of transportation with a distance of about 400km.”
Hon Mthuli Ncube, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, referenced Dinson as the new Zisco, due to the company’s potential to revitalize Zimbabwe’s steel industry.
“I suggest a 1 day engagement on how to rebuild the steel sector value chain as Dinson has become the new Zisco. Countries like South Africa have a high demand of steel to cater for various steel related projects, hence the Manhize project is a solution to that demand for steel across the region,” Hon Ncube said.
Meanwhile, Dinson is also engaging with local companies to establish industries near the Manhize site, creating opportunities for downstream industries such as steel wire for fencing. Dinson also has plans of modalities of giving attachment for students in collaboration with the Ministry of Mines.
