TIMES Printpak Zambia Limited Board Chairperson, Michael Musonda has encouraged the company to revive commercial printing to help generate additional revenue for the firm.

And Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary, Amos Malupenga has said the current infrastructure at the Times reconfirmed Government's position that the institution had the potential to perform better.

Speaking during a tour of the Times offices in Ndola yesterday, Mr Musonda said the board had identified that commercial printing had suffered neglect with only four per cent contribution to the company's total revenue.

He said despite the challenges of antiquated equipment, the company had the scope and determination to generate more resources.

"Our tour has demonstrated that there is a lot more scope and ingenuity to do more. We should fully utilise this potential and achieve results through determination, commitment and initiative," he said.

And Mr Malupenga said the company had the ability to improve itself and sustain its business as it already had infrastructure in place.

"Times is like a sleeping lion which needs to be shaken up to roar for its own sustenance. It can do better than it is currently doing," he said.

He urged management to invest in modern machinery that would boost printing and also improve the quality of printing.

Managing Director, Godfrey Malama said plans were underway to discard old furniture and replace it with new sets at the company's offices in Lusaka, Kitwe and Ndola.

"There is an on-going programme to refurbish office furniture and all old furniture would be replaced," he said.

Mr Malama said the company needed about K1.5 billion to buy a Computer-To-Plate (CTP) machine that would quicken the printing process.

He said the firm has in the meantime acquired, as a stop-gap measure, Computer-to-Plate Metijet Printer from India at a cost of K250 million to help improve the quality and pace of the printing process.

And Commercial Services Director, Billy Wamundila, said even under difficult situations where there has been no seed money, the Times had done its best to utilise its commercial printing section as evidenced by a recent order to print 85, 000 copies of school text books worth close to K2.5 billion.

Mr Wamundila also told the delegation that the company was already printing various school text and exercise books which it was stocking in its bookshops in Lusaka and Ndola.

Times also prints stationery such as receipt books, calendars, different types of cards and office consumables for some organisations.

Board members who toured the plant with Mr Musonda included Mr Malupenga, Mr Malama, Judge Kabazo Chanda (retired), Engwase Mwale, Lawrence Moola and Penelope Mapoma.