Namib Mills’ N$135 million state-of-the-art bread factory inaugurated
The Minister of Industrialization, Trade and SME Development, Hon Tjekero Tweya inaugurated Bakpro’s bread manufacturing facility this week.
The factory valued at around N$135 million has a system that runs like a conveyor belt through the entire baking process up until packaging.
The factory located at Okapuka just out of Windhoek started operations in 2019 and is owned by Namib Mills Investment Group (NMI), under the Bakpro brand.
In his keynote address, Tweya encouraged local production of goods in order to cut down on the dependency of imports as well as support Namibia’s ‘growth at home strategy’, which reinforces the importance of accelerating economic growth, reducing income inequality and increasing employment.
“While the government is committed to supporting local industries to grow, the expectation is also that Namibian companies, especially the big ones must develop corporate social investment programmes to inject some of their profits into the economy to grow other SMEs,” he added.
Furthermore, Tweya urged producers and farmers to join the opportunity to feed the local industry and support value -addition.
NMI Group of Companies Chief Executive, Ian Collard said the new facility has created 120 new jobs along the entire production line and the factory is also in line with the government’s ‘growth at home strategy’.
Meanwhile, Collard pleaded to the government to maintain a conducive environment for the private sector to attract ongoing investments.
“Such investments are essential for job creation, income growth for the country and import substitution. We as private sector and to a certain extent also foreign investors are concerned about future legislation and policies that will not be supporting local investment and growth,” he said.
“We as a company have also always been standing for good honest business, and we plead with the government and fellow citizens to practice these principles in everyday life and business,” he concluded.
Caption: The Minister of Industrialization, Trade and SME Development, Tjekero Tweya with NMI Group of Companies Chief Executive, Ian Collard during the tour of Namib Mills’ new N$135 million state-of-the-art bread factory.
