Kapiri Mposhi Glass Company Closes Operations After Only 1 Year in Business

In January 2020 it was reported that Eagle Glass invested US$15m to set up a factory which provided them with a production capacity of up to 50,000 tonnes of flat and laminated glass annually, for both national and international use.  Central Province Permanent Secretary Bernard Chomba hoped that the factory would improve the economic status of the district. 

Just over a year later over 100 of the workers at Eagle Glass Manufacturing Company in Kapiri Mposhi have been made redundant, terminating contracts for all its employees, after the factory was closed. The decision was made following struggling business, resulting from an influx of cheap glass imports within Zambia combined with the impact which COVID-19 has had on the production line of its glass production. 

Commenting on the situation, Eagle Glass Managing Director Zhi Zhao stated “We cannot cope with the pressure in the market because of cheap glass products imports and the impact of the Coronavirus”.

To contrast reports that the company planned on closing down without paying redundant employees their dues, Mr Zhao has confirmed that gratuities would be paid alongside a month’s salary for workers who have been made redundant. 

Eagle Glass hope to resume operations once business activity and production line issues are resolved, following which it hopes to “re-engage” individuals who have been made redundant.