Malawi businessmen purchase biodiesel technology worth US$750,000 in US
A group of Malawian businessmen that left the country nine days ago for the United States of America on a business tour, are spending around US$750,000 to support the landlocked country’s biodiesel venture. Malawi is faced with serious fuel shortages since 2009.
Montgomery Mayor, Todd Strange, before his weekly media briefing on January 26 met the Malawian team led by Chief Napoleon Dzombe of Dowa to thank them for the purchase of industrial equipment from the city’s businesses.
Al.com reported that Chad Emerson, director of city development, revealed the group acts as a chamber of commerce for Malawi and is expected to spend up to $750,000 in the city on technology used to produce biodiesel fuels.
“They’re very interested in biodiesel, because in their country diesel costs $10 a gallon. They’re very interested in making their own diesel. They’re an agricultural nation, so they can grow anything they need to grow to produce it,” said Wes Gunn, with the Landmark Church of Christ, which has missions based in Malawi.
Through Chief Nazombe, the Landmark Church of Christ has built a charitable Blessings Hospital and an orphanage in Dowa, a district next to Malawi’s capital city, Lilongwe.
“They had the opportunity to go to cities throughout the country to do this, and they decided to come here and purchase it all here,” Emerson said. “It’s essentially a trade mission that exists because of their connections with the church.”
Amongst the million Kwacha purchase is industrial and heavy equipment to boost farming, storage and transportation. They have also purchased a 18-wheel truck in Montgomery, as Emerson informed, because of the availability of the products.
Al.com further reported that Montgomery city is home to SouthernEco, a company owned by Clay McInnis that produces and distributes biodiesel in the area.
The businessmen also toured SouthernEco, located behind Hampstead Farms off Taylor Road returns after ten days. They include Kenny Mwanyongo of General Engineering Company (GEC) and Grandstone Construction Company Limited (GCCL) with offices both in Malawi and neighboring Zambia.
