Lonrho(AIM: LONR) the conglomerate with a structured portfolio of African investments is pleased to announce that e-Kwikbuild,its 62% subsidiary, has completed and commenced production from a new prefabricated panel production plant in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
The development of the new production plant has not only increased e-Kwikbuild's capacity but has also permitted the redesign and enhancement of certain elements of the e-Kwikbuild product to ensure that it remains a market leader in the supply of high quality prefabricated buildings. The new plant incorporates state of the art applications to the manufacturing process.
The new 2,700m2 factory can produce up to 240(3 square metres)panels in each six hour shift and will facilitate e-Kwikbuild's ability to meet existing, and forecast demand for its products.
The first deliveries for buildings from the new plant are being manufactured for a newteaching facility at Walter Sisulu University, a Nurses Accommodation unit at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital, and a seven classroom school at Sterkspruit, allin the Eastern Cape.
Kwikbuild designs and builds insulated prefabricated buildings including houses, offices, schools, clinics and dormitories. The Kwikbuild products give a pre-engineered building solution providing a cost effective,environmentally friendly building, which requires low maintenanceand can be installed in days.
David Lenigas, Lonrho's Executive Chairman commented:
"Since Lonrho invested in e-Kwikbuild in October 2007,themanagement'sfocus has been to increaseproductioncapacityto meet demand.The commissioning of the new factory is a milestone for the company and a building block for growth.
The opportunities for e-Kwikbuild products from existing clients such asEskom,theSouthAfricanGovernmentand others inSouth Africaare considerable, butwe believe significantfuturegrowth can be generated throughLonrho's pan Africanpresence.We are expecting new orders fromAngola,Mozambiqueand the DRCnow that the factory is open."
Enquiries
LonrhoPlc +44(0)2070165105
DavidLenigas,Executive Chairman +44(0)7881825378
Geoffrey White, Chief Executive Officer +44 (0)7717 307 308
Emmade Borchgrave,ExecutiveDirector +44(0)7867785177
Pelham PR
CharlesVivian +44(0)2077436672, +44(0)7977297903
James MacFarlane +44(0)2077436375, +44(0)7841 672831
NOTES TO EDITORS
About LONRHO:
Lonrho Plc is an expanding conglomerate that is rapidly growing a successful business throughout Africa. The Company's shares are traded on the London AIM stock exchange (LONR). Lonrho is strategically focused on the development of business opportunities in infrastructure, transportation, support services, hotels and natural resources. The Company has over 19,000 shareholders and substantial institutional backing to support its mandate to build a profitable business that plays a fundamental role in the development of the African economy.
Since 2006, the Company has invested in or acquired control of:
Hotel Cardoso -www.hotelcardoso.co.mz
Lonrho Mining -www.lonrhomining.com
LubaFreeport-www.lubafreeport.com
Fly540 -www.fly540.com
Swissta Holdings -www.swissta.com
Bytes and Pieceswww.bytespieces.com
Kwikbuild -www.e-kwikbuild.co.za
Rollex -www.rollex.co.za
LonZim -www.lonzim.co.uk
