GARDNERVILLE — Movement for Progressive Change (MPC) Political Leader Simeon Freeman says his nearly completed US$4 million beverage manufacturing plant in Gardnerville will begin operations within the next 60 to 90 days, with the facility expected to create about 300 jobs and produce bottled water, juice and carbonated soft drinks.
Touring the facility with journalists, Freeman contrasted the investment with what he described as Liberia's growing drug trafficking problem, arguing that productive investments--not illicit activities--should define the country's economy.
"The biggest investment we have in the country at the moment is up to a billion dollars' worth of drugs that the government is facilitating and bringing in. But you see what we're doing? We're not doing drug business here. This is serious business," Freeman said.
Freeman said construction on the factory had previously stalled before work resumed. He added that the project has since been expanded, pushing the total investment beyond US$4 million.
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"This investment is costing more than four million dollars," he said. "We decided to reinvest in it to have a bigger floor for more products. We'll do water, we'll do soft drinks and we'll do juice. In about 60 to 90 days, we'll employ about 300 people."
According to Freeman, the factory is being equipped with additional machinery that will significantly increase production capacity.
He said two more production machines are expected to raise output to approximately 25,000 bottles per hour, while the facility's water treatment system will process up to 20,000 gallons of water per hour.
Freeman explained that the plant uses a reverse osmosis purification system to remove impurities before water passes through multiple filtration stages. He said a carbonation machine expected to arrive within two weeks will enable the factory to produce carbonated beverages with improved quality.
"When you open it, you will feel that fizz," Freeman said, explaining that the carbonation process is designed to give locally produced soft drinks the characteristics consumers associate with international brands.
Freeman also argued that his experience developing and managing a multi-million-dollar manufacturing project demonstrates the leadership and management skills needed to run the country.
"When people walk through here and see this level of investment, they understand that this person has the capacity to lead because he knows exactly what it takes to get the job done," he said.
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On employment, Freeman said the factory would recruit workers based on competence rather than where they come from, adding that businesses depend on skilled labor to operate successfully.
He said government should focus on expanding technical and vocational education to ensure Liberians are adequately trained for jobs created by private investment.
"The business will always look for competent people," Freeman said. "The government's responsibility is to build the capacity of its people so that when investments come, Liberians are ready to fill those jobs."
The Gardnerville facility is expected to become one of Liberia's largest privately owned beverage manufacturing plants, producing bottled water, juice and carbonated soft drinks for the local market while creating hundreds of jobs.
