1. Product Description:- Toilet papers (in rolls or sheets) are becoming essential or basic consumer products because their use can protect people from illness like eases hernia or hemorage. Toilet papers can be manufactured by converting waste paper such as newspapers or by using straws and other similar raw materials.
2. Rationale:- The use of toilet papers is not unfortunately, very common. It is only used by a small section of the urban population. There is one main reason for this. Most people cannot afford to buy the kind of toilet papers being produced now. Considering the income level of the majority of the population, the prices of toilet papers are expensive. The papers are unnecessarily of high quality with fancy colors. In rural areas people use stones and leaves to clean their bodies instead of toilet papers. This will cause diseases. If toilet papers of lower quality (no fancy color, no too much softness) and of lower price are produced and introduced to the rural population, this will reduce the risk of being infected by some diseases. To improve the hygienic conditions of the people, the production of cheaper toilet papers should be promoted by the concerned agency of the Region. This project idea is the beginning of this promotion.
3. Market Potential:- Of the 19 million people in the Region, probably about 1.5 million use toilet papers. The rest use waste paper, stones and leaves in place of toilet papers. But all of them should have used toilet papers. For the majority of the people to use toilet papers, the prices must be much lower than they are today. One factor that causes the prices to be higher than what can be affordable by many people is the quality of the toilet papers being produced today. For the purpose they are intended to be used, the toilet papers have unnecessarily high quality. What is needed in the rural areas is a type of toilet paper which is plain in color, probably grey and just a paper that can serve its purpose. The toilet paper can be made from old newspapers, thrown away used papers, outdated book copies, etc. From these “raw materials” and using simple technology, it is possible to produce toilet papers which can be bought and used by the “masses”-to used an old term. The maximum potential consumers for toilet papers of lower prices in the Region could be 17 million. Even if we assume that only 500,000 people will start using toilet papers; this will certainly justify the establishment of a toilet papers making factory.
4. Source of Raw Material:- If the investor wants to produce toilet papers from waste paper, the input will be available in the country. If otherwise, the input will be imported.
5. Process & Technology:- Waste paper will be sorted and fed into a global digester. At the same time sodium sulphite, soda ash, etc. are sprinkled over the waste paper. The digester is then completely closed and rotated. Next is the charging of the materials into the blow pocher. Circulation is performed by a proper agitator in the washing drum. Then the material is transferred into the dump chest from which it is moved up into the head box by pump. Water is added for dilution. This is followed by removal of dust, washing and drying, bleaching, washing of the bleaching agent, washing, application of color if necessary, slittering and winding in rolls or cutting into sheets.
6. Estimated Investment:- For a plant which will produce 5 tones a day, estimated investment will be:
§ Building/shade 350m2 at Birr 1500/m2 = Birr 525,000
§ Plant and machinery = Birr 600,000
§ Working Capital = Birr 450,000
1,575,000
7. Benefits:- improves the health conditions of the people who will use the product, improves community hygiene, introduces new skills and technology.
8. Location:- Bahir Dar