The Botswana Investment & Trade Centre (BITC) and the Selibe-Phikwe Economic Diversification Unit (SPEDU) last week officially launched Bulb World, a 100 percent citizen-owned LED light bulb manufacturing company operating out of Selibe-Phikwe.
Bulb World has the capacity to produce 20,000 LED lights per day. The company currently has six staff members at its main office in Gaborone and 30 others at the factory, all youth. Ketshephaone Jacob (owner of Bulb World) explained that his company was established in 2016 but only started production late last year.
“We ran into some delays with the procurement of equipment and factory components which deferred our production timeline,” he said.
The Botswana National Investment and Trade Promotion Agency (BITC) assisted in the setting up of Bulb World through facilitation services offered at the Botswana One Stop Services Center (BOSSC). SPEDU, a Phikwe region bespoke investment promotion agency facilitated the factory shells and all operational space requirements in Phikwe.
“My goal is to hire young people and help revitalise the economy of Selebi-Phikwe as some of them were hired straight out of university without any prior experience,” he said.
Jacob said their energy-saving lights save costs by 80% and have a production span of up to 50,000 hours and a 36-month guarantee.
“We aim to be the leading provider of the LED lighting solutions in Botswana and the SADC region for commercial and private homeowner markets,” he said.
Commenting during the launch, SPEDU CEO, Mokubung Mokubung said the company should capitalise on the fact that it is the only local bulb producer.
“The company has the potential to help reduce the country’s import bill and I am confident it will help uplift the economy of Selebi-Phikwe as it has already created jobs for 30 youths and is expected to create more in the future,” he said.
The company currently employed 30 young Batswana at the factory and 6 more administrative and marketing personnel at their Gaborone office.
With everything back on track, Jacob says the aim is to be the leading provider of LED lighting solutions in Botswana and the SADC region for commercial and industrial factories as well as the residential market. Bulb World lights are said to be designed to save energy by 80% on lighting costs and have a production span of up to 50,000 hours and a 36-month guarantee.
Bulb World couldn’t have come at a better time for Phikwe residents, who are still reeling from the aftermath of the CL Mine closure. Speakers at the launch underscored Bulb World’s ability to contribute meaningfully to the revitalisation of Phikwe and the entire SPEDU region.
“Our ambition at Bulb World is to employ as many young people as possible in our bid to create employment and we do absorb our recruits straight from tertiary institutions and offer on-the-job training,” Jacob explained.
Source: mmegi.bw, weekendpost.co.bw
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