Local business creates ethanol-based sanitiser
BEE Biofuel in partnership with Nedbank Namibia, has shifted their production focus and now also provides ethanol-based hand sanitiser whose demand skyrocketed in recent months.
Using ink disposed of by a local printing company, BEE Biofuel distils back ethanol to produce hand sanitisers, surface sanitisers and antibacterial hand soap which are used in preventing the spread of coronavirus.
Though BEE Biofuel had previously been a small-scale producer of these products, they recently upscaled due to the great need within the local market. They have done this, despite the high cost of importing additional ethanol from South Africa, as the local supply is extremely limited.
BEE Biofuel’s owner, Bruce Salt noted that the demand for ethanol-based hand sanitiser skyrocketed in recent months and will likely continue to do so even after the industry becomes more regulated in the near future.
“We believe this venture is an opportunity for Namibia as a whole to become more self-sufficient regarding production, especially of highly necessary hygiene products such as ours. In the coming months and even years, Namibian industries will need to support one another to a far greater extent in a concerted effort to avoid production obstacles,” Salt said.
Britt du Plessis, Nedbank’s head of business banking, said the bank’s Green credit line provides versatile funding on the investment cost and tailored support to project developers in the entire life cycle of the project.
“As a responsible corporate citizen, Nedbank has always had the protection of our country’s pristine natural beauty and heritage at heart, and we will certainly be looking at ways to support enterprises that innovate through reducing, reusing and recycling,” Du Plessis added.
Caption: Some members of the BEE Biofuel team; f.l.t.r: Hiyamatundu Hapuka, Kavekumininua Kututa, Richard Uiseb, Karitumu Hapuka, Dianne Nantes and the owner, Bruce Salt.
