6th May 2008 07:03
Lonrho PLC06 May 2008 6 May 2008 LONRHO PLC ("Lonrho" or the "Company") Water Sector Update Lonrho Plc's bottled water division, Lonrho Spring's BVI, is pleased to announcesubstantial progress in its scheduled development of a pan African waterbusiness. Since acquiring the technology and brand name of Swissta Holdings in May 2007,the company has subsequently become the market leader in Mozambique, is doublingthe size of the plant in Kinshasa, DRC and is developing new water bottlingplants in Luanda in Angola; Lubumbashi in the DRC; and Johannesburg in SouthAfrica. Further projects undergoing feasibility studies include Libya, Nigeria,Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya and Zimbabwe. The sub Saharan water bottle market is estimated to be $ 2 billion and growingat 25% per annum Project Updates : Angola : Lonrho Springs Angola Lda has been established and registered,applications submitted to ANIP and a site acquired for the new plant in Caxito.Hydrological surveys and water quality analysis has been completed. Angolanproject managers Sul Engineering have been contracted and the site developmentand buildings have commenced construction. Equipment design and specificationsare completed and tenders have been opened. Angolan brands have been designedand registered. Mozambique : The existing water bottling plant has been relocated in April to anew larger facility with a greater water output. Having become the market leaderin Mozambique, the company has expanded its product range and is supplying agreater variety of sizes of product, from pouches through to 20ltrs for which ithas developed and distributes Swissta cooling dispensers. In April the companylaunched a range of flavored waters and sparkling waters onto the market. DRC ( Kinshasa ) : The size of the existing plant is currently being doubled tomeet demand. New machinery for the expansion has been designed, specified,ordered and will be in production in June 2008. DRC ( Lubumbashi ) : Lonrho Springs DRC Sprl has been established and registered drilling and subsequent hydrological surveys and water quality analysis havebeen completed. The site development and buildings have commenced construction.Equipment design and specifications are completed and tenders have been opened.A local brand has been designed and registered. South Africa : Site design and construction plans are completed and plantspecifications and volumes have been agreed. Annual production quantities havebeen forecast and extraction permits applied for to increase existing productionvolumes. A new brand has been designed and developed for the premium waterbottled market in the Gauteng region, which will concentrate on the reusableglass bottle restaurant, corporate and consume on site markets. LONRHO ENQUIRIES Lonrho Plc +44 (0)20 7016 5105David Lenigas, Executive Chairman +44 (0)7881 825 378Geoffrey White, Chief Executive Officer +44 (0)7717 307 308Emma de Borchgrave, Executive Director +44 (0)7867 785 177 Pelham PRCharles Vivian +44 (0) 20 7743 6672 +44 (0) 7977 297903James MacFarlane +44 (0) 20 7743 6375 +44 (0) 7841 672831 Collins Stewart Europe : NOMAD to LonrhoHugh Field / Simon Alston +44 (0) 20 7523 8350 NOTES TO EDITORS About LONRHO: Lonrho Plc is an expanding conglomerate that is rapidly growing a successfulbusiness throughout Africa. The Company's shares are traded on the London AIMstock exchange (LONR). Lonrho is strategically focused on the development ofbusiness opportunities in infrastructure, transportation, support services,hotels and natural resources. The Company has over 20,000 shareholders andsubstantial institutional backing to support its mandate to build a profitablebusiness that plays a fundamental role in the development of the Africaneconomy. Since 2006, the Company has invested in or acquired control of: Hotel Cardoso - www.hotelcardoso.co.mz (retained) Lonrho Mining - www.lonrhomining.com Luba Freeport - www.lubafreeport.com Fly540 - www.fly540.com Swissta Holdings - www.swissta.com SA Independent Liner Services - www.saliners.com Bytes and Pieces Kwikbuild - www.e-kwikbuild.co.za LonZim - www.lonzim.co.uk This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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