Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Bulelani Magwanishe is expected to launch a black industrialist’s tissue brand later this week.
Produced by black industrialists Mthembu Tissue, the “Cloud Nine” brand of tissues will be launched by the Deputy Minister in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, on Friday.
Mthembu Tissue was approved for a grant funding of more than R13 million from the Department of Trade and Industry’s (the dti) Black Industrialists Scheme (BIS).
The BIS is an incentive of the Black Industrialists Programme that aims to unlock the potential within black industrialists operating in the South African economy through deliberate, targeted and well-defined financial and non-financial interventions.
The company has so far created 103 direct jobs since commencing production with the intention of increasing direct jobs in the next five years. Additionally, the company sources its raw material from the local small black industrialists.
“Mthembu Tissue is one of the more than 100 companies that have benefited from the Black Industrialists Programme since its launch in 2016. It is one of the first approved projects operating in the pulp, paper and furniture sector,” said Deputy Minister Magwanishe on Tuesday.
Mthembu Tissue is owned by Thembinkosi General Mthembu, who has extensive experience and knowledge in tissue manufacturing and converting.
The company progressively grew and gained experience to the point of creating its own brand “Cloud Nine” which is currently sold in various South African supermarkets.
“The modern technology installed as a result of the support received from the Black Industrialists Scheme and is used for processing the tissue formation production to packaging of the products has enabled the company to triple their production. This manufacturing capability has made Mthembu Tissue to be competitive in relation to modern standards of manufacturing tissue-related products,” said the Deputy Minister. – SAnews.gov.za
