Dinson plant now 90% complete as it increases manp...

Dinson plant now 90% complete as it increases manpower to 1 500

Zim Now Writer

Progress at the Dinson Iron and Steel Company US$1.5 billion plant in Manhize, Chirumhanzu District in the Midlands Province is 90% complete with manpower increased to 1 500 to accelerate the construction of the power line linking Sherwood in Kwekwe to the new giant factory.

The completion of the blast furnace superstructure and the availability of power are critical steps before the commencement of production in the next two months.

Disco is projected to produce 600 000 metric tonnes of products in the first phase rising to 1.2 million tonnes in the second phase then 3.2 million tonnes in the third phase and ultimately five million tonnes per year in the final phase.

The project has absorbed 1 500 workers so far, with more expected to be recruited as the company expects to directly employ 3 000 workers in the first phase with the figure expected to rise to over 10 000 in the fourth phase of production.

Net revenues are expected to be US$10 million during the first phase to rise to US$4.25 billion under phase four of production.

Production is expected to start at the end of April, starting with pig-iron followed by steel billets in May and steel bars in October.

Meanwhile, procurement of coke from Hwange has begun and iron ore mining and stockpiling is underway as part of full-scale production preparations.

Disco public relations manager, Joseph Shoko said all sections at the plant were above 90 percent towards commissioning.

“We are moving towards the final lap of the first phase so that we can start production any time before the end of April with most of our sections above 90 percent.

“We have started mining and so far, have accumulated substantial amounts of iron ore. We have also started bringing in coke from Hwange and soon we will also start to bring limestone from Masvingo,” he said.

Shoko clarified that the blast furnace, centering plant, power, laboratory, and the workshop must be completed before production starts.

He said the laboratory has started to function while the company has since recruited 15 laboratory technicians who work under the tutelage of a foreign expert.

“A workshop no doubt the biggest in the country is highly mechanised. Going forward we are capable of producing high-volume pipes for water. In fact, the workshop can be of use for big projects like the Gwayi Shangani pipeline project.

“We can do 1.8-metre diameter steel pipes. The workshop does all sorts of fabrication. So, it will be for use not only for the company but the country at large,” Shoko said.

As the time goes on, the company will eventually produce pipes, bolts and nuts, smaller slags, rolled tubes, fences, shafts, wires, and bars among others.

The company has since deployed three teams to expedite the construction of a Zesa power line from Sherwood in Kwekwe to the plant site.

In 2022, Disco and Zesa signed a public-private partnership to run a 97km high-voltage power line that will connect Manhize to the Sherwood substation, the main grid interchange near Kwekwe.

“The Zesa power line from Sherwood is being worked on with more than three teams deployed in various sections of the line. The relocation of two families affected by the positioning of the line is going on smoothly.

“Employees are now above 1 500. We have more than 20 students on attachment from local universities and technical and vocational colleges.

“We also are in the process of starting graduate trainee programmes,” Shoko added.

Disco is a subsidiary of Chinese iron and steel giant, Tsingshan Holdings and started implementing the project in June 2022 when preliminary works began on the site.

The giant investment has positioned Zimbabwe among the global steel manufacturing hubs, with projections indicating the country’s potential to emerge as the future powerhouse in the steel and iron industry.