1 February 2007
Construction of a multi-million rand salt plant at the Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) outside Port Elizabeth is scheduled to start in February.
The R54-million project is part of an R85-million relocation and expansion into the Coega IDZ announced by salt maker Cerebos in 2006.
The expansion into the new plant will see Cerebos using technology never used before in sub-Saharan Africa to produce high purity salt through an environmentally friendly process.
Cerebos MD Len Chandler said at least 100 jobs would be created during the construction phase, and 140 jobs when operations begin.
The new plant will be a purpose-built pure vacuum-dried (PVD) salt crystallization facility.
“Local demand for PVD salt exceeded our supply so we had to turn some customers down, but all that will be history when plant becomes operational in September 2007,” Chandler said.
Coega Development Corporation (CDC) spokesperson Vuyelwa Qinga-Vika said the project would help position South Africa as a platform for manufacturing and export through foreign and local investment.
Source: BuaNews
