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Michael Tome and Kudakwashe Mhundwa
Willdale’s latest Topaz bricks will enable the listed brick manufacturing concern to increase its market presence and  curb brick imports that have over the years flooded Zimbabwe, Willdale chief executive officer Nyasha Matonda has said.

The brick making firm expects the new product to be a stimulant to depressed sales volumes uptake experienced by the company, largely attributed to mismatch between disposable income of clients and runaway inflation.

Lately, the country has witnessed a surge in brick importation especially from Botswana, ballooning the country’s import bill by a product which can be entirely produced locally.

Speaking at the brick launching ceremony last Friday, Mr Matonda highlighted that the product launch was a response to customer needs and company’s endeavour for import substitution.

“For a number of years the market had been invaded by some imported bricks and as brick manufacturers we have been put under a lot of pressure to say how we can close that gap that has been created by imported bricks.

“So for some years as Willdale, we have set down to say we need to close this gap, the customers have spoken, they have shown that they need this brick and as Willdale we needed to make sure we close that gap and produce a brick that will meet customer requirements.

“Now we have introduced the Topaz brick range to meet the needs of the customers,” said Mr Matonda.

He assured the market that the company had adequate facilities with requisite capacity to meet customer demand.

“In terms of production, we have got adequate facilities of extruding the brick and also firing the brick, we should be looking at about 2 000 000 bricks per month of
different phases of that topaz brick,” he added.

Earlier this year Willdale Limited highlighted that it was looking forward to increased capacity and sales on the back of strategies that were implemented by the firm during the period.

Willdale is optimistic of better business prospects in the future considering the amount of household and Government infrastructure construction projects taking place in the country.

The company maintains that capacity is available to meet demand but its exploitation is dependent on the availability of fuel and foreign currency for plant spares.