DISCO and ZISCO Eye Collaboration to Boost Steel Production

13 May 2025

By Andile Mvundla

Dinson Iron and Steel Company (DISCO) has announced plans to collaborate with Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company (ZISCO Steel) in a move aimed at revitalizing steel production in the country.

DISCO Project Director Wilfred Motsi revealed these plans, stating that the two entities held a meeting last week to discuss potential collaboration.

Speaking on the potential partnership, Mr. Motsi explained that ZISCO currently lacks the raw materials that DISCO is now producing. He noted that ZISCO still possesses functional production lines, presenting an opportunity for DISCO to supply them with raw materials on a commercial basis. This would allow ZISCO to resume production and add value to the steel products.

“What we have discovered is that Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company (Zisco) does not have the raw material which we’re producing. And they have got also lines of production which are still intact, whereby we are saying, we will give you the raw material, but on market basis. That is, we will be selling them the product, and then they also value add and they start production as a company,” Mr. Motsi stated.

Mr. Motsi also provided an update on DISCO’s production progress, announcing that they are currently operating at 80% capacity and they have already begun producing pig iron and steel billets.

“In terms of production, we are at 80%. We’ve started producing pig iron, which is a raw material needed to produce the steel billets. We’ve also started producing the steel billet and pig iron, whereby we are exporting some of them, and some of them are being used by the local market,” he noted.

The project boasts high value chain linkages, with approximately 98% of raw materials, including coke, limestone, and iron ore, sourced locally. DISCO is also forging partnerships and joint ventures with companies in the steel and foundry industries to further leverage their production.