BVI fast-tracks plant revamp
Mbongeni Mguni | Monday June 22, 2026 06:00
Fabtech Technologies, a Mumbai, India-based group listed on the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, announced the award of the contract this week, as part of its disclosure obligations.
“Under the project scope, Fabtech will deliver advanced GMP-compliant internal infrastructure, precision HVAC systems, clean utilities, and critical MEP services engineered to international manufacturing standards. “Fabtech will provide an integrated infrastructure platform designed for safe, efficient, and scalable vaccine production,” the company said in its filing.
The contract is part of a P300 million plant expansion by BVI scheduled for completion by next year.
Fabtech’s mandate includes overseeing the supply and installation of systems involving Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing (MEP), as well as Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC), all done at international Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standard.
The work is critical for supporting the expansion of BVI’s production capacity.
“Fabtech will provide an integrated infrastructure platform designed for safe, efficient, and scalable vaccine production,” the firm said. “The facility will play a key role in enhancing Southern Africa’s veterinary vaccine manufacturing capacity, supporting regional efforts in animal health, food security, and disease prevention. “As African nations increasingly invest in local vaccine production, the project represents a significant step towards reducing import dependence and strengthening regional healthcare resilience.”
BVI’s ageing plant has become a significant operational challenge, both in terms of regulatory compliance and rising maintenance costs. Earlier this year, officials noted that much of the BVI’s equipment is obsolete, with spare parts no longer available on the market, making maintenance extremely expensive.
Besides the work awarded to Fabtech, the greater expansion project involves the construction of a new blending and filling laboratory, as well as the establishment of an antigen bank. Already, BVI has been accelerating procurement for the expansion project.
Fabtech said the Botswana contract would allow the company to cement its African reach.
“Beyond veterinary healthcare, the project strengthens Fabtech’s position within Africa’s emerging vaccine and biologics manufacturing ecosystem,” the company’s notice reads. “The infrastructure being deployed today lays the foundation for broader capabilities in critical vaccines, biological products, and sterile injectable manufacturing across the continent, supporting Africa’s long-term ambition of healthcare and vaccine self-sufficiency.”
The latest developments come as BVI battles to keep up with a regional surge in demand for its Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine after the disease broke out in Botswana and most other Southern African states this year.
The economically-destructive virus first broke out in the North-East shortly after the festive season, before it was stamped out due to a rapid containment and vaccination campaign. However, from April, FMD has been confirmed in several southern districts for the first time in more than 50 years, pushing authorities to lean heavier on BVI.
The vaccine producer was already under pressure from making deliveries to South Africa, which is also battling one of its most extensive outbreaks in decades.
According to officials, during the 2025–2026 financial year, BVI produced 3.8 million doses of FMD vaccines, with South Africa leading procurement at 1.6 million doses, Zambia with 1.3 million doses, Zimbabwe with 384,100 doses, Eswatini with 308,800 doses, and Mozambique with 116,200 doses. Botswana accounted for 72,000 doses over the same period.
Since the start of the new financial year on April 1, the numbers have significantly risen due to the spread of the virus.