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Caroline Chiimba, Business Correspondent
BUILDING material manufacturer Udine Products (Pvt) Ltd has diversified its operations to include civil engineering consultancy and industrial construction services.

Management says the decision is part of measures to broaden business scope and sustain its value chain so as to survive the difficult macro-economic climate facing industry as a whole.

“We have moved from focusing on manufacturing building materials only, but we are also undertaking civil engineering consultancy as well as civil and industrial construction to provide quality structures from the goods we manufacture,” said Nyasha Msema, the company audit manager.

“In order to survive in this harsh economic environment, there is need to diversify in services offered as a way of increasing the market share and revenue.”

Udine Products is situated in the Belmont industrial area in Bulawayo and is one of the reputable manufactures of cement bricks, blocks, pavers and precast concrete and terrazzo products in Zimbabwe.

General manager Engineer Shyleen Msimanga said Udine has established itself firmly in the industry after its rebound in 2012.

The firm had closed shop sometime in 2006 when it faced a number of challenges that forced suspension of operations. Upon opening in 2006, about $600 000 was injected out of an estimated $1.3 million that was needed at that time to resuscitate the company.

Management said the firm has undertaken several small scale construction projects like paving for different organisations as a stepping stone to diversification.

Eng Msimanga said the projects had slowly blossomed into bigger construction undertakings that had seen Udine getting a much bigger construction contract with one of Zimbabwe’s biggest mines.

She said the company has managed to complete a number of housing units in low density suburbs of Bulawayo such as Hillside and Burnside.

“We had been doing civil engineering consultancy for a while as an internal thing, but now we have decided to go external,” said Eng Msimanga.

“The general public had known us as a manufacturing company only and little do they know that we do construction as well.”

The construction sector has recently recorded some strides particularly in housing construction as demand for accommodation soars.

The situation has created competition with several backyard brick producers erupting across the city as entrepreneurs seek to tape the market.

“The move to diversify is a step towards eliminating and moving a step further from our competitors,” said Eng Msimanga.