Ebonyi Pipe Production Commences Production,Targets 6,500 Pipes Daily

Ebonyi State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr. Oguzor Offia-Nwali, has announced the revalidation and commencement of pipe production in the state.

The Commissioner made the disclosure while addressing newsmen during an inspection at the factory site in Izhiangbo, Ebonyi State. Oguzor stated that the pipe production plant boosts a production capacity of six thousand five hundred pipes, ranging from 20mm to 160mm, daily.

"We have fully commenced the production of pipes. Currently, we're producing pipes ranging from 20mm to 75mm, and from 75mm to 160mm. "We have HDP five production machines that produce sizes 360 and 420mm, as well as HDP machines producing 20mm, 25mm, 40mm, 50mm, 75mm, 90mm, 160mm, and 210mm. The factory already has machines capable of producing pipes in the best gauge. "The factory has machines that produce between 70mm and 25mm, capable of producing 2,500 pipes at night and 2,500 pipes during the day due to their fast nature. However, the 75mm to 160mm pipes are slower due to their shape, producing between 1,200 and 1,500 pipes a day. So, the factory has the capacity to produce 5,000 pipes of 25mm to 70mm daily, and 1,200 to 1,500 pipes of 75mm to 160mm daily," he explained.

The Commissioner disclosed the state government's readiness to equip the factory with both manpower and necessary resources, adding that it operates continuously for six working days. "Every pipe you find in the market is either 3mm or 3.5mm, but our governor, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, being committed to quality, insisted that we produce only the best for the people of Ebonyi, which is why we are manufacturing pipes with a 4mm gauge. "We operate day and night shifts because, each time you turn off the machine, it takes about 3 to 4 hours to restart production. So, once we start, we run from Monday to Saturday, with night shifts handing over to morning shifts, and we use Sundays to rest."

He further emphasized that the factory is capable of producing enough pipes to serve the South East region, encouraging prospective buyers to be patient as they adjust the prices of the products. "We have ample quality and quantity for both distributors and end-users. Since there's no other pipe production plant in the South East, we are receiving calls from Anambra, Enugu, and Abia. However, we will update our prices before the close of business today to enable us to take orders from our callers. "We have three diesel generators supplying power, along with industrial electricity that provides at least 20 hours of power daily, which we supplement with the diesel engines."

Speaking on the workforce, the Commissioner pledged to hire more staff to boost production. "The governor has approved t

wenty operational staff, knowing that the machines are delicate and require at least eight to ten staff per line to prevent jams and burnouts. "Currently, we have twenty individuals undergoing training, as the staff currently present were recommended by the company for their high maintenance skills. "Once training is complete, these twenty will be employed. However, my proposal to His Excellency is for 120 staff, as our goal is to produce both pipes and accessories." On his part, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Ebonyi State Council chairman, Comrade Samson Nwafor, commended the state governor, Francis Nwifuru, and the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr. Oguzor Offia-Nwali, for ensuring that the mandate given to them was fulfilled.