2merkato

The Ethiopian Metal and Engineering Corporation and SKY Energy International have manufactured the first solar panel in Ethiopia.

The solar panel was manufactured by the assembly line commissioned in April of last year as a joint venture between the Ethiopian Metal and Engineering Corporation and SKY Energy International.

The turnkey assembly line was fully installed in December and the first efforts to laminate, test and produce solar panel were launched by engineers at this time. Add a comment Add a comment

The Farida Group based in Chennai, India has launched a tannery in Ethiopia. The tannery is intended to target the export market including to India.

The new tannery commissioned at the end of the last year is expected to have the potential capacity to manufacture an estimated 800,000 sq. ft of leather, said  Rafeeque Ahmed, Chairman, Farida Group.

The factory was launched through Farida’s international subsidiary in Singapore. The plant will supply finished leather to the international markets as well as catering to the leather requirements of the Farida group according to Ahmed. Add a comment Add a comment

Ethiopia expects to produce fertilizer locally in time for the next crop season according to a report presented to the House of Peoples Representatives by the Metal and Engineering Corporation.

The country planned to build eight fertilizer factories as part of its development agenda with five factories designated to produce DAP fertilizer and the remaining three to manufacture Urea fertilizer noted General Kinfe Dagnew, Director of the corporation presenting the report.

It is to be remembered that a feasibility study conducted in the Yayu area of the Oromia Regional State last year led to the decision to build a fertilizer complex revising the initial idea said Kinfe. Currently the plan is to build two Urea and one Dap fertilizer factory as part of the complex he explained. Add a comment Add a comment

BGI Ethiopia launched a new draught beer, under the newly introduced Amber brand, said Esayas Hadera, Marketing Manager of BGI. The new draught beer was officially announced this week although the company had been promoting in selected areas in the past few weeks.

The brewer is currently producing the new draught beer at its plant in Addis Ababa although the other BGI plants located in Hawassa and Kombolcha are expected to begin production soon said Esayas.

BGI has installed more than 200 new draught beer dispensers, each costing an estimated 100 thousand birr, for the new beer in Addis and other regional towns according to Surafel Alene, Sales Director of BGI. It is expected that an additional 200 machines will be installed to increase the market for the new product he noted. Add a comment Add a comment

The Metal and Engineering Corporation urged the Ethiopian government to create a policy solution for the challenges associated with the taxed imposed on imported goods.

The tax imposed on imported manufacturing goods and raw materials for industrial use which are essential to the manufacturing process are much higher in Ethiopia than in other countries said Kinfe Dagnew, Brigadier General of the Corporation speaking to the House of People’s Representatives.

The tax imposed on locally manufactured goods are lower than in other countries of similar economic status which is encouraging to manufacturers but the taxes levied on imported equipment vital to the manufacturing sector remain high he added. Add a comment Add a comment