Scrap metal shortage hits Pula Steel

The company’s corporate services director, Brian Mosenene has said in an interview that they have been experienced a serious shortage for the past two weeks ago.

“We are now operating with only one furnace because we do not have enough scrap metals,” he said. “This is a serious concern for the project going forward. Scrap is our major input, so if we do not receive any we cannot produce.” Pula Steel is the first integrated steel plant in Botswana and has 50.5 percent shareholding by BCL mine. The company is a milestone under BCL’s corporate strategy, Polaris 11 and was constructed at a cost of P130 million. Its phase one project created 250 jobs and it is anticipated to create a further 1,000 jobs in the second phase. It was announced during the company’s official opening last year that government has enacted laws that restricts export of scrap metals without first satisfying local foundries.