According to a senior official from the country’s ruling party, Zimbabwe’s iron and steel industry is undergoing a revival [1], driven by increased production from Dinson Iron and Steel Company (DISCO), a Chinese-invested firm.
Christopher Mutsvangwa, a politburo member and spokesperson for the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, highlighted the growing steel exports and their role in rejuvenating the nation’s steel fabrication sector during a press briefing in Harare.
DISCO, a subsidiary of China’s Tsingshan Holding Group, initiated operations last year, first producing pig iron before expanding to steel billets. The company has since begun manufacturing steel bars and plans to broaden its product range to include bolts, nuts, and other steel components.
“The company’s technological capabilities are advancing, along with an increasing diversity of steel products,” Mutsvangwa stated.
The expansion of local steel production is expected to facilitate the recovery of Zimbabwe’s heavy steel industry, particularly in Bulawayo, the country’s second-largest city, which suffered economic setbacks following the steel sector’s decline.
Zimbabwe’s steel industry faced a major downturn after the closure of a key producer in 2008, leading to a reliance on imported steel. In response to the recent rise in domestic steel output, the government announced new restrictions last Friday on importing specific steel products, aiming to support local manufacturers.
Sources:
[1] Zimbabwean official hails Chinese-invested firm for increasing steel production https://english.news.cn/20250509/b2263ef4cb0e44778788e3cdbed60cb2/c.html