Mapei South Africa has reached an exciting milestone with the successful commissioning of its new liquid plant at our Head Office in Germiston, Gauteng, a major investment that underscores our commitment to growth, innovation, and manufacturing excellence. This achievement represents far more than an expansion of capacity— it is a clear statement of our confidence in the South African market and our ambition to strengthen our presence across the SADC region. 

The commissioning ceremony was attended by our newly appointed Regional Director, Robert Bonnici, alongside Mapei South Africa's General Manager, Paul Lowndes. This highlights the global reach and support across the Mapei Group. 

A special acknowledgement must be given to Kennedy Mutoro, Business Unit Manager, and his hardworking Warehouse team, whose vision and determination for the expansion of the liquid plant played a pivotal role in bringing this project to life. Their focus on increasing capacity, improving efficiencies, and positioning Mapei for future growth has been instrumental in achieving this milestone. 

At the heart of the new facility is a state-of-the-art twin shaft mixer equipped with 45kWh and 7kWh motors, capable of producing 10,000 kilolitres of admixtures or grinding aids per batch. The new system enables four operators to produce up to 100,000 litres of product in a single shift, more than doubling the current output of 48,000 litres achieved by six operators, while consuming only half the electricity. 

The benefit of the new plant extends beyond increased production capacity. Significant maintenance savings will be felt by replacing ageing equipment that required substantial repair expenditure. Additional advantages include reduced electricity consumption and enhanced health and safety from the use of a 2MT crane to charge powder RMs, dust controls and exposure. 

This investment reflects Mapei confidence in the growing African market and reaffirms our commitment and determination to continued growth and meeting market demands whilst we look forward to a brighter sustainable future.