Multotec Strengthens Zambia Mining Services with New Central Africa Hub

Multotec Zambia is strengthening its position as a regional mining-serviceshub with the opening of a new Central Africa Regional Head Office and manufacturing facility in Chingola, Zambia.

The expansion comes as Multotec marks 25 years of operations in Zambia and reflects growing demand from mining companies for locally available equipment, technical expertise, spare parts and maintenance services.

The new facility is designed to bring Multotec’s manufacturing, refurbishment and technical capabilities closer to mining operations across Zambia and neighbouring markets, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and Malawi.

Peter Mbada, Managing Director for Africa at Multotec International, said the investment was approved in 2022 as a strategic regional hub serving the Copperbelt, North-Western Zambia, the DRC and Malawi.

The Chingola facility provides engineering fabrication, pump refurbishment, ceramic lining, spare-parts support and consignment stock management, while creating capacity for further manufacturing expansion.

Its location was selected because of Zambia’s logistics infrastructure and accessibility to major mining areas across Central Africa.

For the region’s mining industry, the expansion comes at a time when operators are dealing with increasingly complex and lower-grade ore bodies. Mining companies are under pressure to improve mineral recoveries and throughput while reducing downtime and controlling operating costs.

Multotec’s classification, separation and concentration technologies are designed to help operators recover greater value from their ore bodies. The company combines these technologies with process optimisation, equipment design and technical support to improve plant performance and productivity.

Jack Belmonte, Regional Manager for Central Africa at Multotec International, described the new facility as a one-stop service centre for customers across Zambia and the wider region.

The operation now handles consumable orders, new and refurbished equipment, after-sales services and field support locally. Its expanded capabilities include pump refurbishment as well as the fabrication and refurbishment of large and complex chutes, conveyor rails and pipe systems that were previously carried out in South Africa.

Localising these activities is expected to shorten delivery times and reduce costs, with labour and raw materials increasingly sourced within Zambia.

Multotec Zambia has also expanded its field-service capabilities, with two full-service teams and two dedicated service vehicles supporting customers during both unexpected breakdowns and planned maintenance shutdowns.

The local teams can provide same-day responses, helping mining operations minimise equipment downtime and avoid prolonged production disruptions.

Spare-parts availability is another major component of the regional strategy. Multotec Zambia has introduced an inventory model designed to balance stockholding with customer demand while maintaining optimum inventory levels.

A bonded warehouse is also planned to support regional customers outside Zambia by reducing the time required to move critical components across borders.

The strategy is particularly important for frequently required mining consumables and components, including screen panels and cyclone components, where delays can have a direct impact on plant availability and production.

Beyond equipment and service delivery, Multotec expects the expansion to contribute to local employment and skills development through training, knowledge transfer and the development of technical capabilities within Zambia.

The investment highlights the growing importance of local industrial capacity to Central Africa’s mining sector. As copper and other mineral production expands, mining companies increasingly require suppliers that can provide equipment, maintenance and technical expertise close to operating sites rather than relying heavily on long-distance supply chains.

For Zambia, the development also reinforces Chingola’s role within the Copperbelt’s broader mining-services ecosystem. With access to major mining operations in Zambia and neighbouring countries, the city provides a strategic base from which suppliers can support an increasingly regionalised mining industry.

Mbada said Multotec Zambia has evolved from a local operation into an established regional business and remains focused on innovation, local investment and long-term partnerships.

The company’s expanded presence comes as Central Africa’s mining industry seeks greater efficiency and more resilient supply chains. By increasing manufacturing, refurbishment, inventory and technical-service capacity within the region, Multotec is positioning its Zambia operation to play a larger role in supporting the next phase of mining growth.