Development Blogs.com


Quick Hits via Timbuktu Chronicles July 23rd, 2008 at 17:53

Emmanuel Mbulu founder of Tone-a-Matic a muscle stimulator manufacturer, discusses entrepreneurship. New Scientist profiles rugged wheelchair prototypes for the developing world. Reuters reports that currency traders and investors are increasingly drawn to African currencies. via Cheetah Index "Ndume Little Pick-up" a solution to waste...

Underutilized Fertilizer inputs via Timbuktu Chronicles July 12th, 2008 at 21:14

Steven J. Van Kauwenbergh of the IFDC and author of Fertilizer Raw Material Resources of Africa Points out that six African countries control about 41.5% of the world’s currently exploitable phosphate rock reserves and 50.2% of the total global phosphate rock reserve base that may be exploitable in the future. “Ironically, Africa exports large quantities of phosphate rock, while importing...

The Toolmakers via Timbuktu Chronicles July 5th, 2008 at 16:33

Companies we need more of...From Kenya's Numerical Machining Complex to the machine tools manufacturer,Harp and the precision engineering firm Sheaf, along with others covered earlier Sub-Saharan Africa cannot escape the unavoidable necessity of the Toolmakers. The NMC for example, a progenitor of what could be the substrate of a locally assembled car the Nyayo, would if successful and moreso...

Moriba via Timbuktu Chronicles July 2nd, 2008 at 23:42

Founded by Moriba Ouendeno, Moriba a specialty food company "has progressively diversified its product offerings to include new flavours like litchi, manguo, baobab but also carbonated drinks, ginger liqueur and African herbal teas “Saveurs d’Afrique ®/African Flavours” based with lemongrass, kinkeliba, hibiscus, ginger, and a mix of ginger, ginseng, guarana"-Moriba Website Watch Mr Ouendeno...

Mam Cocktail via Timbuktu Chronicles July 1st, 2008 at 00:37

Founded by Oumou Diallo Sissoko Mam Cocktail produces in its HACCP certified processing facility: -Natural Fruit Juices -Thiakry -Milk and...

Zena Exotic Fruits via Timbuktu Chronicles July 1st, 2008 at 00:02

Zena Exotic Fruits manufactures annually, 700 tons of jams, jellies, and marmalades these include: Fruit SpreadsFruit SyrupsPepper SaucesHand Crafted NougatSesame...

Tejay Pharmaceuticals via Timbuktu Chronicles June 28th, 2008 at 23:11

Tejay Pharmaceuticals specializes in sterile small volume injectables,Opthalmic solutions and oral preparations.The company manufactures sterile pyrogen free injectables and oral...

Quick Hits via Timbuktu Chronicles June 28th, 2008 at 13:17

Meridian Medical Services fashions itself as the "One stop" medical centre. Kahindo Mateene a fashion designer "sews together tradition and trend" SMS based Livestock Marketing Information System launched for farmers and traders. Combination Industries serves up cheese snacks. African minerals strengthens its social...

Bioman Energy ,Bioplastics Potential via Timbuktu Chronicles June 24th, 2008 at 16:48

"...Bioman Energy manufactures a range of innovative biodiesel processing units which enable the self production of Biodiesel..." John Pistorius of Bioman in a related subject emphasised the concurrent potential of bioplastics,Green Flavour writes: In South Africa, the bioplastics industry could potentially revitalize a struggling agricultural industry as more and more farmers are finding it...

Kenya’s (Unofficial) Ironworks Industry via Timbuktu Chronicles June 18th, 2008 at 14:00

TED fellow Erik Hersman reports at Afrigadget: Gikomba is a part of Nairobi that is well known for metal working. I had been meaning to come this way for a while, and today afforded me the perfect opportunity to drop down into Gikomba and see what kind of enterprising activities Kenyans were up to...I ran into a George Odhiambo, a bulk fabricator of everything from wheelbarrows to chisels. The...

Appropedia via Timbuktu Chronicles June 17th, 2008 at 12:59

"...Appropedia is a living library of appropriate technology and open design, also covering sustainability and broader international development issues including public health, water, sanitation, community development, agriculture, renewable energy and urban...

Innscor via Timbuktu Chronicles June 13th, 2008 at 15:16

Innscor a food processor manufactures a range of: -biscuits -puffs -pies Their "goal is to become one of the biggest and most profitable snack food manufacturers in...

Ipo’s beyond the Finance Sector-Omatek & Tantalizer’s via Timbuktu Chronicles June 3rd, 2008 at 22:59

Stock Market Nigeria reports on two impending IPO's from non-financial sector companies, Florence Seriki's Omatek Ventures and Tantalizers both covered previously: The management of the Nigerian Stock Exchange at a recent Quotation Committee Council Meeting (QCCM), held at the exchange, gave a nod to Omatek Ventures and Tantalizers Plc’s bid to list on the Exchange. Omatek Ventures Plc would be...

Emergency Healthcare Transport-Bicycle Ambulances via Timbuktu Chronicles May 14th, 2008 at 12:30

Bike Radar reports on the advent of Bicycle Ambulances: BEN Namibia launched a bicycle ambulance manufacturing plant in Namibia’s capital, Windhoek. Bicycle ambulances are ‘stretchers on wheels’ that attach to normal bicycles and tow a sick person or pregnant woman to a hospital or clinic where no other transport is available. In other African countries where bicycle ambulances are in use, there...

Trio Craft via Timbuktu Chronicles May 11th, 2008 at 21:52

Trio Craft "...produces a line of handwoven, handknit and crocheted products using organically grown cotton. Trio’s looms are much wider than most, enabling them to custom weave curtains, tablecloths and carpets, and offer a broad array of beautifully textured products for the home. Trio was established to create employment and preserve artisanal skills, to bring Ethiopian textile art to the...

Doyin Group via Timbuktu Chronicles April 27th, 2008 at 15:14

The Doyin Group was founded by Samuel Adedoyin who has been described as an apostle of ‘industrialization’.Their range of household products which include: -Soaps & Detergent -Foods & Beverages -Fruits, Juices, Drugs & Water -Toothpaste & Medicaments...

Wandy Foods via Timbuktu Chronicles April 26th, 2008 at 04:45

Established by Gbonjubola Awojuyigbe Onawoba, Wandy Foods a fast growing food processing company produces a range products which include: -Wandy Honey, -Wandy Chilli pepper -Wandy plantain...

Pharmakina Bukavu via Timbuktu Chronicles April 24th, 2008 at 12:22

Pharmakina Bukavu is an innovative vertically integrated manufacturer of quinine anti-malarial drugs. Their operations range from the production of seedlings and extraction of quinine from the quinquina barks, right through to synthesis of tableted,liquid and injection...

Integrated Cassava Project via Timbuktu Chronicles April 19th, 2008 at 15:40

The "...Integrated Cassava Project has three main aims: to sustainably increase food availability, reduce rural poverty and unemployment, and enhance agroindustrial and socioeconomic growth in Nigeria. This will be achieved by deploying high yielding resistant cultivars, adapting improved and profitable postharvest processing methods, and facilitating policies to ensure that problems along the...

Machine Tools & Biofuel via Timbuktu Chronicles April 13th, 2008 at 16:26

The Industries for Africa Foundation lays out their proposal for a hybrid Biofuels-Machine Tools ecosystem a subset of their incremental modular industrialisation proposal: The manufacture of machine tools is widely accepted as a significant component of any industrialisation. Without exception industrialised nations manufacture, or have manufactured, machine tools. Those that have reduced...

MoriMori via Timbuktu Chronicles April 12th, 2008 at 14:07

Mory Diaras the founder of MoriMori Designs explains the design ethos of the company: “I like simple clean lines and materials that can accentuate my product. Home accessories should be made beautiful and affordable so that every home can be fabulous. I’m a designer by education, and by nature. I love proportion, scale and balance as well as imperfection."I pay most attention to detail and...

Mabeo Furniture via Timbuktu Chronicles April 12th, 2008 at 13:24

Design within reach reports on Patty Johnson's creation of the Maun Windsor Chair: To create the Maun, Johnson went to Peter Mabeo, the founder of the Mabeo Furniture factory in Gaborone, Botswana, with a design brief for a collection of high-quality wooden furniture that could be produced by hand. The Maun Windsor is a new interpretation of a classic American chair. Its Shaker-inspired clean...

Chemin via Timbuktu Chronicles April 9th, 2008 at 13:58

Chemin is an example of an incubator that deserves emulation across the continent.It nurtures and addresses a fundamental critical industry essential to industralization.Its mission is to: Stimulate, launch and grow globally competitive and sustainable SME chemical manufacturing start-ups, as well as project development within established SMEs, in South...

Mumias Sugar & Power Generation via Timbuktu Chronicles April 2nd, 2008 at 13:31

Mumias Sugar a manufacturer has entered into power purchase agreements with the Kenya Power and Lighting Company.Business Daily reports: Mumias is building a Sh6.5 billion power plant to generate 35MW of electricity for its own use and sale. It is expected to add 25MW to the national grid...Selling power to KPLC at the rate of US6 cents per kilowatt hour means Mumias has succeeded in improving...

Breej Technologies via Timbuktu Chronicles March 31st, 2008 at 23:59

Founded by Aloysius Anaebonam, Breej Technologies dermatological product offerings include: -Anti Bump Cleansers: astringent cleanser and exfoliating facial wash -Anti Bump Pre Shave Lotions: for razor and electric razor shaving -Anti-Bump Aftershaves: alcohol free lotions and alcohol based...

Small Engineering Workshops via Timbuktu Chronicles March 31st, 2008 at 22:41

Jan Chipcase writes about the pervasiveness of small engineering workshops in hyper industrialized Japan: Wander around a Tokyo neighbourhood and you'll soon come across a small engineering workshop - part of the urban infrastructure and a skill base that enables small scale repair and manufacturing and is very much part of the flavour of living here.. Within SSA there is a worrying tendency to...

Trashy Bags via Timbuktu Chronicles March 20th, 2008 at 11:37

The Independent reports on Kwabena Osei Bonsu's recycled plastic venture: Looking around the city, a businessman Kwabena Osei Bonsu decided something needed to be done. "I wanted to come up with an idea that would solve problems in my lifetime," he said. His solution? Collect the discarded plastic bags and stitch them together to make new, reusable bags. In the Trashy Bags workshop a dozen...

Reroy Cables via Timbuktu Chronicles February 21st, 2008 at 03:16

Reroy Cables founded by Kate Quartey-Papafio manufactures products which include -Conduit -Armoured -and Telecommunication Cables. The company is currently focused on increasing its export market share,while it strengthens its position as a leading sub-regional market...

Sleek Garments via Timbuktu Chronicles January 22nd, 2008 at 15:43

WATrade Hub reports on Sleek Garments: On the wall of the Sleek Garments factory, overlooking a bustling assembly line of 300 workers, is a sign: “Quality First, Quantity Second.” Sleek’s founder and CEO, Nora Bannerman, is determined to maintain that philosophy as Sleek shifts into mass production, sewing thousands of shirts bound for Ross Stores, the second largest discount clothing retailer...

REA Vipingo–Sisal Producer via Timbuktu Chronicles January 22nd, 2008 at 12:34

Publicly listed Rea Vipingo the largest sisal fibre producer in Africa is strengthening its focus on the Chinese and Indian markets.Business Daily reports: For decades Rea Vipingo has cast its net in key international markets and boasts of about 35 key clients that have played a big role in its attainment of the much needed financial sustainability.China and India that have been undergoing...