Dosing and transfer company Ecochem Pumps signed an agreement in April, which will result in its products and services being sold and supported in Zambia through newly registered Zambia-based water and chemical treatment solutions provider Aqua Africa, Aqua Africa Zambia director Alf Jacobsen tells Mining Weekly.

Aqua Africa expects its investment licence, which is being finalised by the Zambian government by the fourth quarter of this year. Ecochem will then transfer stock to Aqua Africa’s base in Kitwe, which is Zambia’s second-largest city and its Copperbelt commercial hub.

Jacobsen says the company has already received orders for Ecochem’s pumps and services in the area.

“Aqua Africa’s main target markets will be the Copperbelt mines, in Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo,” he asserts, adding that gold and emerald mines, as well as the growing agricultural market including the maize and cotton industries.

“Zambia has, for some years, ranked among the fastest-growing economies in Africa and there are major expansions taking place in the mining and agriculture sectors. This makes it an attractive place to start a business,” he notes.

Further, Jacobsen says Zambia is also a springboard into surrounding territories.

Prior to the establishment of Aqua Africa, Ecochem used agents to channel its products to Zambia.

“Customers will buy products from an Ecochem branch in Zambia, with the added advantage of receiving on-site service from qualified personnel,” says Jacobsen, adding that the company will stock an extensive range of products.

The Ecochem stable will include the Milton Roy range of dosing pumps and accessories, dosing instrumentation, mixers, agitators, and Ecochem slurry pumps and spares.

Further, the company’s Someflu range of plastic and stainless steel chemical transfer pumps, as well as the JMI submersible axial-flow pumps will be available on request.

Water and chemical treatment solutions provider Aqua 24, which is a co-shareholder with Ecochem in Aqua Africa, will provide Aqua Africa with the Vansan range of submersible borehole pumps, motors and vertical turbine pumps and the Regal Beloit South Africa range of electric motors. It will also supply the company with a range of submersible dewatering pumps in various voltages.

“All these products are manufactured in accordance with ISO 9001:2000 specifications, with certificates available on request,” Jacobsen notes.

Aqua Africa’s Kitwe facility will incorporate a fully equipped service centre and a ware- house to ensure sufficient stockholding, he says.

A test bay at the facility is also under construction, which Aqua Africa expects to be completed by the end of September. It will issue test certificates of guaranteed repairs to customers.

“Aqua Africa also has plans to incorporate a rewind facility for electric motor repairs later in 2013,” he concludes.