Angola gets US$ 160 million can factory

Angola – The drink can division of South African packaging producer Nampak has unveiled a US$ 160 million beverage can factory in Angola’s capital Luanda.

The Angolata plant represents the first operation of Nampak’s Bevcan division to open in the country and the Nampak Group’s single largest greenfield investment outside of South Africa. Initial production capacity is 750 million 330 ml cans per year but this could be doubled with the addition of a second line.

Bevcan has also established Reclatas – its Angolan recycling operation – as a legal entity in Angola. According to Erik Smuts, Bevcan’s Managing Director, this was done even before building the Angolata plant. ‘Reclatas is a partnership between Bevcan and its customers which will recycle scrap from the can-making process, as well as collect used beverage cans from the consumer market,’ he says. ‘We are committed to recycling and I think our Collect-a-Can operations in South Africa are testament to that.’

Angola is the fastest-growing economy in Africa. According to Bevcan, the market currently consumes around 1 billion cans per year. ‘We want to use the Angolata factory to secure Bevcan’s current market of over 600 million cans per year, which we export from South Africa at present, and gain enough market share to justify installing a second line, which we have already laid the foundations for,’ Mr Smuts explains.