A youth-led Lilongwe based company operating under the name “IMATEC Limited” is transforming the country’s ceramic industry by producing quality ceramic products using resources sourced locally.
Led by a youthful innovator, Bonface Ngomwa, IMATEC Limited specialises in the processing of industrial minerals into products such as floor tiles and tableware.
Ngomwa has indicated that the company was established in 2022 after completing incubation programme in artisanal and small-scale mining at the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) in Thyolo.
“Armed with knowledge obtained from the training, I came back and set up IMATEC Limited which has now grown into a thriving enterprise,” he said.
He said the company applies chemical engineering techniques to create its own materials and glass coatings, using raw minerals sourced from Malawi.
“We usually utilise locally available resources such as clay and kaolin to create ceramic products such as plates, cups and sometimes toilet seats, just to mention a few,” said Ngomwa.
The company’s products have since gained popularity, penetrating the local market in the process.
“Due to the rising demand of our products, IMATEC Limited has since employed 10 permanent workers, thereby contributing to the country’s economic growth,” he added.
Ngomwa has since indicated that plans are underway for the company to start exporting its products to other countries.
Currently, the company has shops at the Chichiri Trade Fair grounds in Blantyre and Lilongwe.
IMATEC Limited’s works have not gone unnoticed as it has received special recognition from the National Youth Council of Malawi (NYCOM) at the just ended national youth summit.
