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Kiyapili Sibanda, Business Reporter
A SOUTH African signage company Maizey Signage Materials and Suppliers yesterday opened a branch in Bulawayo as part of its expansion drive in the local market.

The company offers a diverse range of product applications that cover signage and branding, interior design, architectural construction and custom engineering components.

Speaking during the official opening of the branch general manager, Mr Fungai Bgwoni, said they decided to set up shop in Bulawayo to grow their business saying the city had many business opportunities.

“We decided to open a Bulawayo branch because we saw it fit to grow and expand our businesses outside Harare.

“We also identified a lot of business opportunities in Bulawayo and that is why we have a lot of faith in our customers here,” said Mr Bgwoni.

He told Business Chronicle that his company started business deals with Bulawayo last year after setting up a branch in Harare in 2015.

Mr Bgwoni added that the operating environment in Zimbabwe was encouraging and that they were eyeing penetration into the entire market riding on increasing sales.

“The operating environment in Bulawayo is quite okay, we are quietly penetrating the market and people are beginning to know our products. Our sales are also picking up and the only challenge is [shortage] of foreign currency.

“We find it very difficult to get forex for us to be able to pay and sometimes the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe doesn’t consider us as priority but sometimes we do get smaller amounts for us to be able to import,” he said.

Mr Bgwoni also said the response from the clients was good adding their long term goal was to open more branches countrywide.

“Our long term plan is to open other branches in some other parts of the country to cater for the growing customer base.

“We want to make sure we give them qualityproducts so that they can get value for their money,” said Mr Bgwoni who commended the use of plastic money to cushion clients in the face of cash shortages.

Meanwhile, the opening of the new branch coincided with a training workshop by the company personnel and their customers on the new products and giving information on how to improve them.