TNT: Harambe: Zimbabwe exports first coal to China, gets interest from Europe | The Insider
(11/3/22)
Zimbabwe shipped its first coal to China, exporting 20 000 tonnes as part of a trial run to a customer in the cement industry.
The coal was transported via the Mozambican port of Beira, Linos Masimura, chairman of the Zimbabwe Coal Producers Association, said in an interview.
“There are other orders which may come through,” said Masimura, who declined to give further details of the coal contract.
While a property slump has weighed on growth, there is speculation that China may seek to reopen the economy despite its Covid Zero policy.
China is also building a vast array of new coal-fired power stations, amid concern over the global squeeze in energy supplies.
Zimbabwe usually reserves the country’s coal output for domestic electricity generation, but started shipping the fuel last year after demand dipped from the Hwange power plant. Masimura said there has also been interest from European firms, but no deals have been concluded.
“We have had some inquiries from Europe, but these for now are coming through third parties who are mostly based in South Africa,” he said.
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Harambe: $1-billion Lego plant construction starts in Vietnam – VnExpress
(11/3/22)
Construction of a $1-billion Lego plant began Thursday in the southern province of Binh Duong.
Covering 44 hectares in Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park 3, the plant is scheduled to create some 4,000 jobs and launch its first products in 2024.
This is the sixth plant of the Danish toy company in the world, and its second in Asia. It is Lego’s first carbon-neutral plant in the world, using electricity from rooftop solar cell panels and a nearby solar farm.
Lego CEO Niels Christiansen said the toy maker chose Vietnam for its big pool of skilled staff, commitment to carbon-neutrality by 2050, and location as gateway to the Asia-Pacific region, which boasts a growing market of young consumers.
The Lego plant in Binh Duong is the biggest foreign-invested project in the province since the Covid outb Lego collector recreates Vietnam street scenes in miniature reak.
Lego opened its first Asian plant in China during 2016. The Danish firm’s products are sold in over 130 markets.
