Quality is the hallmark of Novatek products by Salim Dawood
N
estled in the tiny corner of the famous Zambeef Farm measuring thousands of hectares on the outskirts of Mpongwe in the Copperbelt, a massive feed plant is raising above the trees. Here, Novatek is producing sumptuous feeds for millions of livestock in the entire northern region of Zambia. Commissioned only three years ago, the Novatek team feels it has already achieved so much and is ready for a seal of international approval in the form of 2200 ISO certification. The plant comprises of sheds for raw materials, a highly automated state-ofthe-art processing plant, storage facilities for finished products and a fleet of delivery trucks. According to Novatek Mill Manager Herman Potgieter, the plant produces 7 000 tonnes − equivalent to about 140 000 bags − of feed every month, while adhering to the strictest health and quality control standards. In fact, the Novatek plant’s Finance Manager, Sunganji Mtambo, believes it is the quality of products that has made the company stand out from its competitors. "We pride ourselves on the quality of the products that we send out to the market," he says. "When you compare our feeds to what is out there, most of the end users will tell you that Novatek produces exceptionally good quality. This, in turn enables them to sell better products, be 4
The impressive Novatek Mpongwe plant.
Workers at the Novatek Mpongwe plant offloading wheat bran on arrival. it for chickens, pigs et cetera. We take pride in our quality and we stand out against everyone else on the market," Sunganji adds. As far as Herman is concerned, the quality end product from Novatek is a result of the deliberate rigorous quality control measures implemented from the moment farmers offload the raw materials – including maize, wheat, soya beans and maize bran – up to the time a finished bag of feed leaves the plant. Herman explains that before any raw material is accepted from a supplier, it is checked for disease and quality, among other checks. He says that once the raw materials are gathered, company nutritionists then mix the formulas, upon which production starts. The tests for
The laboratory workers scrutinise every batch of raw material and final product.
quality do not, however, end with the beginning of the production process. The finished products are tested for standards and durability before being supplied to clients. "So basically, we set our own standards. From there the ISO people come in and check: 'Do you comply with the standards that you have set for yourself'." "Fantastic customer relations" is another reason that Herman feels helps the Novatek brand stand out. "More people prefer our product because of the way that we do our marketing; that is a big plus for us. We actually
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