Johannesburg is set to become the home of one of Africa’s largest beverage packaging-solution providers, as Nigeria-headquartered aluminium beverage can producer GZ Industries (GZI) and South Africa-based independent packaging company Golden Era Group team up to build a large-scale beverage can plant.
The R1-billion joint venture Gayatri GZI Beverage Cans would initially deliver 1.2-billion aluminium beverage cans a year from the second quarter of 2016, before eventually ramping up to produce 3.5-billion cans a year.
The plant, which would employ and train South Africans, would manufacture two-piece aluminium beverage cans in multiple sizes for customers in-country and across Southern Africa.
“GZI is committed to its strategy of becoming sub-Saharan Africa’s largest packaging-solution provider to the beverage industry,” said GZI CEO Motti Goldmintz.
GZI had successfully expanded across Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa since inception in 2006. Through its pending acquisition of Frigoglass assets, GZI also had glass manufacturing operations in Nigeria and Dubai.
The deal would also enable Golden Era access to new markets across Southern Africa and support its expansion efforts in West and East Africa.
“Our collaboration with GZI enables us to grow our South African operations and offer a more comprehensive range of packaging solutions to our customers, while leveraging the skills and footprint of one of Africa’s leading beverage can manufacturers,” explained Golden Era CEO Kishor Chhita.