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Zero-Waste Complete Coconut Integrated Processing Plant
Africa's First sustainable, Zero-Waste Coconut Processing facility. Delivering a Positive Environmental and Socio-Economic impact.
We shall start by converting coconut wastes like husks, shells, leaves and tender coconut waste into environment friendly products like Coir Fibre, Coco Peat, Coconut Charcoal, Wood Vinegar and Tar. Over the next six years, we intend to also be producing Coir Yarn, Door Mats, Geo-Textile, Edible Coconut Oil, Copra Cake and Coconut Bio-Diesel. These are all very Environment friendly products made from Coconut wastes and Coconuts used sustainably.
Facts
2007
| Two years ago: | 0 |
| Last year: | 0 |
| This year (forecast): | 207,170 |
| Year 2 (forecast): | 376,369 |
| Year 3 (forecast): | 579,414 |
| Two years ago: | 0 |
| Last year: | 0 |
| This year (forecast): | 1,453 |
| Year 2 (forecast): | 35,736 |
| Year 3 (forecast): | 103,971 |
| Two years ago: | 3 |
| Last year: | 3 |
| This year (forecast): | 19 |
| Year 2 (forecast): | 38 |
| Year 3 (forecast): | 50 |
Finance needed
| Finance needed for fixed assets (buying of machines, buildings, ...) | 106,801 |
| Finance needed for working capital (salaries, stock, rental, leasing, transport, ...) | 35,113 |
| Total finance needed (US$) | 141,914 |
How do you expect this to be financed? Please note: the total amount mentioned here should be equal to the total finance needed at the previous question.
| Own Contribution in cash | 0 |
| Loans (debt) | 0 |
| Share capital that you seek from investors (equity) | 106,414 |
| Other sources | 35,500 |
| Total finance needed (US$) | 141,914 |
The Business
Phase 1 - Year 1 & 2
Coco peat - used as a growing medium
Coir Fiber - Used in the mattress and uphosltery industry and raw material for yarn
Coconut Charcoal - Clean fuel for domestic and industrial use.
Wood Vinegar - Improves soil quality, eliminates pests and enhances plant growth.
Wood Tar - A natural wood preservative
Future Plans
Coir Twine, Mats
Edible coconut oil
Geo-Textile
Bio-Diesel
Activated Carbon
Copra Cake
Most products that we plan to make are currently being imported and are costly. Our Charcoal will replace wood charcoal. Our products are cheap and environment friendly substitutes for currently used products.
The products will be made with machines as well as using human labour. Initially, we will use all forms of coconut wastes to make useful products. Later we will use both wastes as well as full coconuts. Husks will be crushed to yield Fibre and Peat. Bad husks, shells, leaves and tender coconut wastes will be carbonized and pressed into charcoal briquettes. Carbonization will yield wood vinegar and Tar as by-products. Other products will follow.
We will use the local print as well as digital media and the internet to advertise. For distribution we will supply to the major supermarkets, and also sell to local stores. We have started approaching beach hotels for charcoal. For international sales, we will register with B2B trade portals. We will also be participating in regional agricultural shows and trade fairs. We have started discussions with interested, prospective distributors.
For coco peat, our market is the local and regional floriculure and agriculture industry. Fibre will be exported mainly to China. Charcoal will be sold to hotels, industries and domestic users. We are also trying for regional markets for the products. Wood Vinegar will be sold to the millions of farmers across the country. Wood Tar will be sold to furniture makers as well as timber companies. Other products have a ready market worldwide.
My competitors are mainly small players who do not have the skills/expertise in this industry. They mainly produce one of the above products without adding value to the by-products. For cocopeat, our main competitors are the asian countries from where we import. Sisal is a competitor of coir but coir is superior. we do not have any competitor for wood vinegar and wood tar in Kenya. Coconut charcoal is only produced by one person in small scale.
Our processing will be end-to-end thereby reducing waste and reducing our costs. Our equipment and acquired training is superior to others. Our product range has been designed to meet peoples most basic needs.
Our product is innovative because no one has thought of doing the complete, end-to-end, processing as we will. Also, there are various products (charcoal from coconut waste, wood vinegar, wood tar and coir twine) that no one else manufactures in the country. This is going to be the first zero waste unit for coconut production in Africa.
We will constantly grow the market size by agressive advertising and selling. This will increase the demand for our products. We will also help coconut farmers to improve their yields so that we have constant supplies of raw materials. We will also expand our capacity by investing in equipment to meet demand and build scale. Our wide product range will ensure that we have a constant demand from various sectors and regions through out the year.
The Entrepreneur & Management
The director has a special passion in the coconut industry. He started with processing of coconut husks. It has always been his desire to be the first complete coconut processor in Africa. He has been working with coconut husk processing for the last 2 years and has gained a lot of insight into the business.He has visited coconut factories in India and Sri Lanka and attended various trainings for coconut products manufacturing in India and China
The most important thing is my passion for this industry. I have so far, personally, attended various trainings. I have been working with coconut husk processing for the last 2 years and have gained a lot of insight into the business. I have visited coconut factories in India and Sri Lanka with a view of learning how they operate. I have also sent my staff for training in India. My co-director is a finance graduate who will handle finances
I will spend upto 98 hours per week in the business. I am also cotemplating putting up within the factory premises such that I send all the time (24/7) in the business.
Development
Farmers will get a market for their coconuts and wastes. Employment, especially for women. Our charcoal will provide a cheap source of wood free fuel. The husks, which are otherwise an environment hazard if not utilized, will now be utilized. Wood vinegar will be a cheap alternative for chemical fertilizers. Wood tar will prevent wood from being destroyed by termites. Peat retains water and will prevent water from being lost through evaporation.
applicant
Owner
3 comments
Zero Waste
It would be interesting to learn more about your products. How can we partner in terms of technology transfer especially the car and ICT components?
SWFI.
Please check out the Sovereign Wealth Fund Initiative as an option for accessing investment funding the website is:
www.swfinitiative.org, should you have interest in exploiting this funding option; please revert to me ASAP.
JB.
info(at)iifg-eu.net
Zero-waste completed Integrated?
We have carried out a feasibility study in 2004 and know that the costs of a commercially sound integrated plant is over 1,5 million Euro with zero emission. To increase the feasibility we have developed new products from coconut waste like cattle feed, fish feed, bio-fuel pellets and bio-degadable components for the car & ICT industry. We hope to involve knowledge institutes from Kenya as well to learn from our R&D in order to disseminate it to the local farmers/processors.