Quality is the hallmark of Novatek products

by Salim Dawood

Nestled 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

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 impressive Novatek Mpongwe

plant.

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

Novatek Mill Manager, Herman Potgieter, in his office.

Novatek plant Finance Manager, Sunganji Mtambo.

empower farmers by giving them all the information that they need to succeed," he explains. "We also take our complaints very seriously whenever we get one. We always take great pains to determine where the problem originated: 'Is it on the farm? Is the problem from the product? Where is the complainant coming from?' Customer complaints are handled effectively," he adds. Herman says once an investigation in a complaint is completed, the customer is engaged and informed of the outcome. The reason for this is to maintain trust. A question on whether both managers are pleased with Novatek's achievements thus far triggers broad smiles.

Workers at Novatek Mpongwe oversee the packaging and sealing of the final product.

"From my side, I can say our journey has been a very big achievement for a plant like this within three years, so we are just waiting for ISO 2200 certification,” Herman says. Sunganji is happy that despite the COVID-19 pandemic having affected a lot of industries, theirs remained almost unaffected and continues to grow. He now looks forward to penetrating the Luapula market which is showing signs of potential. The Mpongwe Novatek plant is the company's second in the country, with the first in the capital, Lusaka. It supplies its product to all towns on the Copperbelt, Northern and North-Western provinces. Sitting on five hectares of land, the plant employs about 250 workers directly. Although the Novatek story has been a successful one, it has not been without challenges. According to Herman, the plant's distant rural and isolated location makes it hard to get raw materials as well as delivering the finished product to clients. However, the company says it is on a sure path of growth and success, and ensuring that it achieves the five per cent yearly growth it set from the start.

You may contact Wiehan Visagie at wiehan.visagie@novatek.co.zm or Marné Visagie at nutritionist@ novatek.co.zm for any information on feeding and feeds.

Workers at the Novatek Mpongwe plant oversee the final product being loaded on a truck from the storage facility, while security ensures that the paperwork is in order.

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