Plastic Packaging announced as top Namibian exporter

Staff Reporter On 5 August 2021, the USAID Southern Africa Trade and Investment Hub (USAID TradeHub), supported by the Namibian Manufacturers Association (NMA), hosted the first virtual Namibia Exporter of the Year awards to recognise and reward outstanding performance and noteworthy efforts of exporters in overcoming market entry hurdles and achieving successful and consistent trade to South Africa or the United States (under AGOA).The categories for the awards were: Namibian Exporter of the Year, South African markets, US. markets (under AGOA) and Overall Namibian Exporter of the Year for 2021.The main requirement was that the participating businesses must be privately owned by citizens or residents of Namibia.The minister of industrialization and trade, Lucia Iipumbu, announced Plastic Packaging as the winner of the Namibian Exporter to SA Markets category and commended them for their hard work.In next highlight, Marc Anthony White, acting USAID country representative, announced that Plastic Packaging also took top honours as the overall winner for Namibian Exporter of the Year 2021.Meatco received the award for Namibian Exporter of the Year to the United States.Collective effortNico du Plessis, managing director of Plastic Packaging, acknowledged the awards and expressed his gratitude towards all the employees of the team, and he gave recognition to all the stakeholders for their important role in the Plastic Packaging group.“Our team are the most important ingredient in the success of the company,” he said.He quoted the company motto “hard on results, but soft on people” and said the team has “500 CEOs” in the company, who all take ownership by committing to supplying the best, and most complete packaging solutions to all their clients.“We would also like to thank the ministry of industrialization and trade for giving Plastic Packaging support and a platform in which to excel. So too, the Namibian Manufacturing Association for fighting for Namibian companies, and very importantly, all our clients for supporting Plastic Packaging over the years,” he said.Packaging with a differenceEstablished in 1982, this 100% Namibian-owned company manufactures polyethylene flexible packaging products and offer a complete range of packaging solutions.Through their eight branches in Namibia, they supply packaging solutions daily to all segments of the Namibian economy, including major segments and export industries such as fishing, mining, salt, agriculture, dairies, meat, beverages, milling and sugar packers. “Our packaging products reaches all countries where Namibian food products are exported,” Du Plessis said.“We also operate an agricultural and construction pipe factory. Internationally we operate a factory and three branches in Angola and distribution company in South-Africa through which these Namibian manufactured products are distributed,” he added.World-class manufacturer and recyclerWhile being their manufacturing-might is a big source of pride, what makes them truly stand out is the responsible and sustainable manner in which they do it.“We are proud to take full ownership for the products we manufacture with our recycling factory, Namibia Polymer Recyclers in Okahandja, where approximately 200 tonnes of post-industrial and post-consumer waste are processed and converted into raw material per month, for the manufacturing of second life-cycle products, thus completing the circular economy of plastics in Namibia.“The tonnage we recycle per month is approximately 40% of the total products we manufacture per month, making us a world-class manufacturer and recycler,” Du Plessis said.He reiterated Plastic Packaging’s commitment to contributing to the country’s growth and global competitiveness.“Plastic Packaging is patriotically Namibian. We have a lot of challenges in Namibia, especially with such a small economy. “We don’t have to stand back as Namibians, we can be competitive in big countries such as South Africa. Namibia will not stand back; we have a lot going for us. We must excel as a country going forward, because though Namibia may be small, we are potent,” he said.

Plastic Packaging announced as top Namibian exporter

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Namibian Sun 2025-01-06

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Plastic Packaging announced as top Namibian exporter

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Namibian Sun 2025-01-06

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