Since privatisation in 1996, Zamefa has invested around £4.5 million in its production lines.

Adding value to Zambian copper, Zamefa exemplifies the success of the government’s privatisation policy. Started up in 1969 and privatised in 1996, the company has grown to become a global producer of copper products, including oxygen free rods, bare conductors, building wire, telephone and power cables. Focusing on capacity increase through investing in technological innovation and human resources, Zamefa is set to double its production levels in relation to 2004, reaching an output of 30,000 tons in 2005.

ISO 9001/2000-certified and expecting to certify ISSO 14001 standards this year, the company also has the South Africa Bureau of Standards certification permit for low voltage power cables. It supplies leading companies in the domestic market and is Zambia’s second largest exporter of non-traditional products.

The company sells 60 percent of its production to South Africa and is also present in Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Hong Kong, India and the Philippines.

Luis A. Corte CEO of ZAMEFA

“Zamefa’s management is very positive about what is happening in Zambia,” says company CEO Luis Corte. “We think it is our duty to support the growth of the country by providing best service and high-quality products.” As for Zamefa’s competitive advantage, Mr Corte says: “Our customers get a first-class product when they want it at a competitive price.”

The Workers Compensation Fund considers Zamefa the safest industrial company in the country and recognises the fact that Zamefa has achieved more than one million man-hours without an injury (a record also shared by Phelps Dodge International’s operations in Brazil and Venezuela). Safety is a core value of their operations, hence the slogan ‘zero and beyond’, which refers to both the workplace and home.