1. Product Description: Products which can be produced using injection moulding technology include plates and dishes, buckets, cups, dishes, trays, waste paper baskets, bins of various sizes, letters/words, umbrella frames, hinged hair pins, soap, cases, etc. All these are made from thermoplastic materials.
2. Rationale: All types of products made from plastics are being used in the Amhara Region. These products are used in homes, offices, schools hospitals, restaurants etc. And all these products are either imported or being brought from Addis Ababa. The demand for these products will increase with population, and income growth. To reduce the level of dependency of the Region in getting many products from outside the Region, two or three plants which produce different types of products using injection moulding should be established in the Region.
3. Market Potential: A casual observation of the market places, shops homes, restaurants, offices etc in the Amhara Region reveal the types and magnitude of plastic products being sold/ used in these places. There are many thousands of plastic products being in the Amhara Region. In fact plastic products are replacing products made from wood, metal and clay. This trend will continue. The volume of sale of plastic products in the Region if produced in the Region will make a plastic factory viable.
4. Source of Raw Material: Imported.
5. Process & Technology: Five types of thermoplastics like polypropylene, polyamides, acrylic, polystyrene, etc, can be converted on a small scale level into a number of products. Moulding machines with screw seizer are also now available for making production easier. In the production process, first the material (raw material) is changed to hopper and then to heating cylinder where the material melts. After melting, the material is injected to moulds. Then curing takes place and the ram returns to its original position, moulds are opened and the product is cooled. There are about 15 types of machines used to produce plastic products by injection moulding technology. The main ones are: injection moulding machine, semi automatic hydraulic injection moulding machine, vertical moulding machine, reprocessing extruder, one portable drilling machine, moulds, air compressor etc.
6. Estimated Investment: For a plant that will produce about 90 tons of moulded products, estimated investment will be
§ Building 350m2 at Birr 1500/m2 =Birr 525,000
§ Plant and machinery = Birr 270,000
§ Working Capital = Birr 150,000
Total Birr 945,000
7. Benefits: saves financial resources of the Region, introduces new skills and technology, saves trees by replacing household utensils made from wood.
8. Location: Bahir Dar, Combolch or any other major urban center of the Region.