The new owners of Keetmanshoop Bukkaros Meat Processors (BMP) inaugurated their refurbished premises last week in the presence of President Hifikepunye Pohamba. BMP is owned by the Frans Indongo Group and is one of the many new units that have been set up by the group. Traditionally a retail dominated group, the Frans Indongo Group is diverting to value addition with a specific focus on manufacturing.

The BMP board of the directors is chaired by Dr Frans Indongo himself, who is the owner of the Frans Indongo Group.
 “It is my humble opinion that the only solution for employment and sustainable economic growth in Namibia is the establishment of more and more industrial enterprises, and that can only happen if we process our raw materials within Namibia and prevent the outflow thereof,” said Indongo.
The BMP abattoir slaughters 31500 sheep a month while the upgraded tannery processes 4000 skins a day. BMP bought the infrastructure that once belonged to Ostrich Production Namibia (OPN) which was set up with the purpose of slaughtering ostriches.
OPN later changed its name to Karas Abattoir and Tannery Processors (KAT) following the death of the ostrich industry in the Karas region.
BMP bought the facility for N$25 million when KAT was about to go into liquidation.
It is located about 20 kilometres from Keetmanshoop and employs 178 people.
“Our industries must become more productive in order to expand value addition to our raw materials so that our country can increase its competitiveness in the region and indeed globally. The importance of manufacturing and value addition to our raw materials cannot be over-emphasised,” Pohamba.