NEW COMPANIES RECEIVE EPZA LICENSE

The Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) has issued certificates to eight new companies that plan to invest in the export processing zones (EPZs).
The EPZA Director General, Dr Adelhelm Meru, handed over the certificates to the companies at a brief ceremony held in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday.
The certificate recipients were:

•  Tube ltd
•  Quality Pulse Exporter
•  Fresh Air Ltd,
•  Dekker Bruins Tanzania Ltd (which is listed in both infrastructure
    development and manufacturers categories),
•  Tanzania  Rods Industries Ltd
•  Premier Agro Processing Ltd and
•  Global Industrial park
 •  Kastan Industries

Dr. Meru said that the registration process started last November through this month and more companies were expected to show interest, noting that a total of 85 companies have so far been registered to work under EPZA.
The registered companies are into two categories—42 infrastructure developers and 43 manufacturers.

Infrastructure developers focus mainly on developing infrastructure while the other group deals with the manufacturing business.
Dr. Meru said that the new companies, which have invested 37 million US dollars (about 55bn/-) with over 3,000 jobs created, would be engaged in manufacturing of packaging materials, lapidary, agro processing, agricultural and construction equipment.

With the exception of Diamond & Gamestone and Dekker Bruins, which are foreign, all the other companies are by Tanzanian owned.
Speaking shortly after receiving the certificates, some of the company representatives attributed their firm decisions to invest in Tanzania to the country’s political stability and security.

They praised the government for creating conducive environment that has attracted more foreign investments, leading to growth of the private sector.EPZA has since its establishment about four years ago facilitated exports of goods worth over 300bn/- and creation of thousands of jobs.