By Tsitsi Matope
MASERU — Operations are back to normal at Loti Brick after the company scaled down operations in September 2013 following an explosion which left one of its furnaces extensively damaged.
In an interview this week, the company’s managing director, Kelebone Leisanyane said the company — Lesotho’s only producer of quality face-bricks and the country’s leading manufacturer of clay bricks — was now out of the woods and clients can order as many bricks as they wish.
Leisanyane revealed the firm’s insurance paid M6.9 million for repairs which saw some spares being imported from Germany.
“We still have some German engineers, who will be working with us until the end of this month, to ensure the full implementation of our new standards of operation. So far, we are happy with the improvements done on the performance of the plant. That has been the silver lining on the dark cloud we had,” Leisanyane said.
The improvements, Leisanyane explained, saw some old parts being replaced by modern and more efficient ones.
“We are already seeing efficiency and optimal production. This development will go a long way to ensure our prices stabilise below the inflation rate,” Leisanyane said, adding the pricing of bricks heavily depends on the cost of both oil and coal.
Leisanyane further explained maximum production would ensure the company satisfies local markets and also have surplus for export.
Loti Brick, which employs 150 workers and is wholly-owned by Basotho, has the capacity to produce a variety of a million high-quality clay and limited stock of plaster bricks per month.
With several players in the brick-manufacturing sector, Leisanyane said what saved the company during its five months of limited production, was the large stocks it had in reserve.
“This, and the fact that the quality of our products is unmatched, helped us sustain the business, to a certain extent, and not lay-off any of our workers,” Leisanyane said.
Established in 1978, Loti Brick (Pty) Ltd is located in the Thetsane Industrial Area in Maseru.
