Groundbreaking begins at Kiswishi City SEZ. (Image credit: Rendeavour)

Initial site work has begun on the construction of a new US$50mn Pepsi bottling plant and a Congo Petrol fuel depot at Kiswishi City Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Lubumbashi

It represents the first private SEZ in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and is being developed by Rendeavour, which describes itself as ‘Africa’s new city builder’.

The SEZ project is being supported by American, British, New Zealand and Norwegian investors.

US, British and Congolese government officials took part in a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction work, alongside executives from PepsiCo (Varun Beverages), Congo Petrol, and Rendeavour.

Preston Mendenhall, group chief operating officer of Rendeavour, said the company’s investment in Kiswishi City SEZ represents “something profound” for the DRC.

“Rather than extracting resources from the landscape, we are literally adding to it, in the form of high-quality infrastructure – power, water, roads, and internet. We are building a mixed-use, mixed-income, inclusive, and environmentally friendly entirely new city for Congolese.”

It is hoped the investments at Kiswishi City SEZ will eventually create thousands of jobs and expand the PepsiCo brand in the DRC’s fast-growing Haut-Katanga Province.

Developed by India's Varun Beverages, Pepsi's largest bottler outside the USA, the facility sits on 15 hectares (37 acres) of land at Kiswishi City SEZ.

Congo Petrol, a distributor and licensee of Kenya's Dalbit Petroleum, will develop a state-of-the-art 8,000 cubic metre petroleum products storage and warehousing facility sitting on seven hectares (17 acres), enhancing its capacity to efficiently serve the growing demand in the region.

Other businesses at Kiswishi City SEZ also include Queen Energy, Zindua Investment, SDG Afrique, Congo Mineral Services and Congolese Analytical Laboratory.

Phase one of Kiswishi's residential estate, Kimia, is 98% sold out.

“Rendeavour and Kiswishi City SEZ — with their American, British, New Zealand and Norwegian shareholders — add tremendous value to our economy by investing in critical infrastructure and well-organised new cities,” said Jean-Marie Kanda, senior advisor to the president of DRC.

“Rendeavour deserves appreciation for the confidence and momentum it has given to the Congolese industrial sector.”

Rendeavour also boasts similar mixed-use cities in Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and Zambia that have catalysed billions of dollars in foreign and domestic investment, creating thousands of jobs for young Africans.

“Thank you to the investors who believe in the long term,” said Lucy Tamlyn, US Ambassador to the DRC. “Kiswishi City SEZ is very much a long-term investment that requires a lot of faith, confidence, and support.”

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SEW-EURODRIVE’s headquarters boasts unrivalled stockholding capacity, ensuring rapid response and reliable supply across Africa. (Image source: SEW-EURODRIVE)

Momentum continues to grow behind the ambitious plans of SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa to become a leading force in the continent’s industrial gearbox business, drives and automation solutions according to managing director Raymond Obermeyer

“Building on years of planning and proactive investment, we are successfully rolling out our ‘African Strategy’ plans to get closer to customers all over the continent,” commented Obermeyer. “To do this effectively, we are continuing to strengthen our foundation of technical capability and expertise.”

With a firm footprint in many southern African countries such as Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia, the company is extending its reach northwards into the likes of Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Mauritania and Morocco. At its 26,000 m2 headquarters in Aeroton near Johannesburg, which the company occupied in 2022, work has already begun on expanding its footprint by building a second adjacent facility.

“This service centre will further support our expansion of sales, support, engineering and training capabilities,” said Obermeyer.  

He points out that many local gearbox users face the challenge of inadequate support for products being sold onto the market, and highlights that SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa focuses on being well equipped to service and repair all its products.

“As one of the few gearbox OEMs in the country with advanced design and engineering infrastructure, we can also make use of our group’s world class facilities in Germany,” he explains. “This even allows us to service and repair the products of other OEMs – and to the same high standard as the original item.”

The new SEW-EURODRIVE service centre facility in Aeroton will house the company’s existing industrial gearbox repairs division as well as an expanded Drive Academy – which trains staff and customers. Other capabilities to be brought in-house include base plate fabrication and sand blasting, and new equipment will include robotic welders, five-axis gear cutting machines and heavy cranage.

SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa is also pursuing its growth plans through finding new markets, a drive which is supported by the group’s wide and expanding range of products and solutions. In 2025, the group has already launched 16 new products, says Obermeyer, as it pushes boundaries in fields such as industrial gears, geared motors, electronics and artificial intelligence.

“This reflects the innovative approach and the research and development capability that is opening up opportunities in existing and new markets,” he says. “At SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa, we understand the importance of keeping up our investments in Africa, positioning ourselves for a leadership position.”

Construction on the expansions for the new SEW-EURODRIVE service centre began in November 2024 and the facility will be operational by the end of 2025. Obermeyer says that customers can look forward to the facility further raising the service bar for the industry from 2026.

30% of respondents invested over US$500mn in the water sector in 2024

Global law firm White & Case LLP has released a new report, Currents of Capital 2025, revealing strong investment momentum in water infrastructure, technology and services throughout 2024, with capital deployment set to rise further in 2025

The findings are based on a survey of over 300 senior leaders from across the water value chain, including utilities, multinational corporations, investment funds, engineering firms and technology providers in more than 20 countries.

According to the report, 30% of respondents invested over US$500mn in the water sector in 2024, with 15% allocating more than US$1bn.

Infrastructure funds led this activity, deploying an average of US$1.3bn each, nearly matching the average US$1.5bn from public sector entities.

Multinational corporations accounted for much of the remaining investment.

Looking ahead, 72% of organisations expect to increase their water-sector spending by up to 50% in 2025, while 4% anticipate even steeper increases.

This signals rising confidence in the sector, underscoring growing awareness of water’s importance to both economic security and sustainable development.

Investment priorities are shifting, with 40% of respondents now viewing water as their top investment focus and 33% targeting portfolio growth, moving away from maintenance-driven spending towards strategic expansion.

Technology is seen as a central enabler of this shift, with more than 60% citing AI as the most likely driver of transformation in the sector.

While Western Europe and North America remain the top destinations for capital deployment, geographic diversification is picking up pace.

Asian investors are expanding into Western markets to tap advanced water management technologies, while 29% of all respondents are exploring new regional opportunities.

Polyester labels with extra-strong adhesive are used for production labels. (Image source: Brady)

A medium-sized manufacturing company, that supplies complex technologies and equipment for the food industry, faced various challenges while marking the units before they were delivered. Brady Corporation had a stellar solution

The company was looking for a way to simply and reliably mark all of the necessary elements. These included electrical markings in the switchboards, cable markings, production labels and technology markings with inscriptions, switch markings, and descriptions for pipes and other applications in health and safety.

These labels and tags had to be ordered separately, which not only brought considerable difficulties, but also a loss of time and money. Due to the inflexibility and additional planning this method required, the company decided to search for an alternative solution – a suitable and affordable universal printer with the ability to print a wide range of markings.

The customer considered various printers, but each candidate required a compromise to the scope of all of its printing requirements, in one form or another. In the end, the manufacturer decided on Brady’s M710 Label Printer, as it offers a wide range of printing options and allows you to easily mark virtually all components of technological equipment with a single device.

Watch the M710 in action >>

Flexibility, variability and reliability

One of the main reasons for choosing the M710 Label Printer model was its extensive flexibility. This printer allows printing on a wide range of materials, including electrical markings, cable markings, printing production labels, and pipe markings.

A brief list of the most commonly used materials includes heat-shrink tubing for electrical applications, as well as tags for marking cable bundles and thick cables. Polyester labels with extra-strong adhesive are used for production labels to maximise durability and permanence, while universal extra-resistant vinyl tapes are used for marking pipes, health and safety descriptions, and various sizes of labels on technologies.

The user was delighted with the wide range of consumables that the printer can use, as it can now virtually mark its entire technological assembly. The M710’s speed and built-in knife – for cutting finished labels – and the quick and easy replacement of consumables were also praised.

Other advantages that were welcomed include the printer’s high mechanical resistance in everyday use (it can withstand falls from a height of up to 1.2m) and its long battery life, allowing it to print up to 4,500 labels when fully charged (so it can be used anywhere at the installation site).

Labels can be created directly on the printer using the built-in keyboard, on a computer using the Brady Workstation programme, or on a smartphone using the simple Express Labels application. The finished data can then be sent via a cable, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth to be printed. It can also be saved, shared, or used as a template for future label designs.

Thanks to the powerful battery, the printer can be used anywhere at the installation site, without the need for power supply on site. The practical handle provides easy portability, and the standard hard case ensures maximum protection of the device during transport.

A reliable assistant that brings many benefits

“The M710 is a truly versatile assistant. Thanks to it, we don’t have to order labels and tags in advance, we just mark any new machine in our workshop before it’s finished. Since we already have the printer here, we marked all the inventory and shelves with racks in the warehouse. Our operations technician even used it to create navigation markings in the operation and on the floors,” said the company’s workshop manager.

It is easy to understand why Brady’s M710 Label Printer has gained so many satisfied users who appreciate its simplicity, reliability, and flexibility.

Watch the M710 in action here, or contact Brady’s South African experts for a live demonstration to see how it can change your industrial processes for the better.

Interested in DIY label- and sign-making? Download the free brochure >>

Find out more about portable label printers from Brady >>