SOTRAFER inaugurates first square tube manufacturing plant in Lubumbashi

Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo – SOTRAFER has launched the first factory in the DRC dedicated to manufacturing square tubes, a significant development aimed at bolstering local production and curbing import dependency. The inauguration ceremony on Monday, July 6, in Lubumbashi, Haut-Katanga, marked a key step in the nation's industrial ambitions.

The new facility is equipped with advanced machinery capable of producing hollow metal bars widely used in construction and mechanical industries. These tubes are essential for modern building projects, including metal frameworks, support pillars, and gates, as well as for manufacturing vehicle chassis and trailers. The industrial process ensures materials meet the demands of contemporary construction and mechanical engineering.

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We are here with an industrial complex that, effectively, fits into this logic of reducing this import bill because we will no longer be importing, sending thousands and thousands of foreign currency abroad, creating jobs for others, but now we produce locally.

Julien Paluku, the Minister of Foreign Trade, emphasized that the factory aligns with the government's vision to promote local transformation and decrease imports. "We are here with an industrial complex that, effectively, fits into this logic of reducing this import bill because we will no longer be importing, sending thousands and thousands of foreign currency abroad, creating jobs for others, but now we produce locally," Paluku stated. His ministry plans to support the complex by implementing import restrictions, recognizing the enhanced domestic production capacity.

Beyond the square tube production line, government officials also commissioned a machine for producing armored cables and a transformer manufacturing plant, both belonging to Mining Engineering Services (MES). These new installations underscore the dynamism of the industrial sector in Haut-Katanga and reinforce the DRC's goal of developing a robust local industry capable of meeting national market needs while reducing reliance on foreign goods. The initiative is projected to create employment opportunities and foster growth within the Congolese industrial chain.

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And we, as the Ministry of Foreign Trade, will support this complex by taking import restriction measures because we have the productive capacity internally.