Zimbabwe is strengthening its industrial base and reducing reliance on imports following the expansion of the Dinson Iron and Steel Company’s (DISCO) product portfolio to include hot wire rods and steel mining mill balls, two critical inputs for the manufacturing and mining sectors. The development marks another milestone in the country’s industrialisation drive, where domestic steel production is central to infrastructure development, manufacturing growth and broader economic expansion.
The addition of hot wire rods and mill balls builds on DISCO’s existing products such as pig iron, steel billets and deformed bars, positioning the Midlands-based plant as a key supplier to downstream industries. Once operating at full capacity, the company is expected to become one of the largest steel producers in sub-Saharan Africa.
Speaking during a site tour, yesterday, DISCO Project Manager, Wilfred Motsi, said the new product lines are essential for strengthening domestic value chains.
“Hot wire rods are used to produce other small wires such as mesh wire and nails, while steel mining mill balls are used for grinding in the mining industry. These add on to pig iron, steel billets and deformed bars,” he said.
Government has welcomed the downstream impact of the expansion, particularly the benefits accruing to small and medium enterprises that previously depended on imported steel.
Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said the shift towards local sourcing is easing pressures on entrepreneurs and cutting the national import bill.
“The level we have reached in cutting imports is quite substantial. Our SMEs, who used to get some of these deformed bars from abroad, are now accessing them locally at a lower price. These bars are critical for our growth as a country,” she said.
Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Zhou Ding, who toured the plant on Thursday, noted that the success of the steel project reflects the strength of bilateral cooperation between Harare and Beijing.
“This is my first time visiting this plant. It is interesting that our bilateral relations, which are mainly mutual, are producing the required results that are benefiting both countries. You are likely to see more Chinese businesses coming to Zimbabwe following the agreements signed during President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s visit to China last year,” he said.
Established from the ground up, the DISCO plant is rapidly positioning Zimbabwe on the global steel production map. With the country saving an estimated US$500 million annually in reduced steel imports since the plant became operational, policymakers say the industrialisation agenda is now firmly on track.
The mass production of steel products at DISCO is expected to play a pivotal role in achieving the objectives of the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), which places industrial expansion and value-chain development at the centre of national economic transformation.
