ARSP Director General Miguel Kashal Visits MES Group Facilities in Lubumbashi
Miguel Kashal, the Director General of the Regulatory Authority for Subcontracting in the Private Sector (ARSP), visited the Mining Engineering Services Group (MES) installations in Lubumbashi, the capital of Haut-Katanga Province, as part of his participation in DRC Mining Week on Thursday, June 13, 2024.
During his visit, Kashal and his delegation met with MES managers and then toured the facilities of Congo Piping SAS, a pipe manufacturing factory founded in 2021.
This state-of-the-art facility offers solutions for HDPE pipes and fittings and combines technical expertise with extensive experience in the pipeline infrastructure market across Africa and internationally.
The delegation was given a detailed explanation of the pipe manufacturing process and also visited the recycling room for used and damaged pipes and batteries.
The second part of the visit took them to Congo Cables, established in early 2022, which provides comprehensive power solutions, including copper bars, wires, cables, copper pipes, aluminum conductors, and transformers.
Kashal was impressed by the high-quality equipment and world-class laboratory at Congo Cables and praised the MES group, which employs over 3,000 Congolese.
“We have just visited Congo Cables and Congo Piping. These are added values. This aligns with the President of the Republic’s vision to industrialize the country for internal consumption, keeping foreign currency within the country and contributing to the DRC’s economic development,” Kashal stated.
He noted that all mining companies, along with Regideso and SNEL, use these locally produced pipes. “I don’t see why mining companies should import these pipes, as local production reduces costs and delivery times, benefiting them directly,” he added.
Kashal emphasized the importance of transforming the DRC’s copper into cables locally, advocating for local and potentially international consumption.
“I invite major mining companies to support these industries because they involve Congolese stakeholders and shareholders, automatically qualifying them for the ARSP certificate,” he said.
The MES Group not only contributes to the development of Greater Katanga through taxation but also helps reduce the unemployment rate.
Operating primarily in Katanga, the group is involved in various activities, including mining, mining subcontracting, construction, agri-food, and most recently, cosmetics.
