TEMDO designs tech to suit local industrial growth

DAR ES SALAAM: THE Tanzania Engineering and Manufacturing Design Organisation (TEMDO) has said it designs products and adapts foreign technology to suit the growth of local industries.

The TEMDO Director General, Prof Frederick Kahimba said in an interview that the initiative aims at ensuring industries have access to locally available technologies suitable for their needs and environment.

“TEMDO plays a crucial role in improving the livelihoods of the people by providing access to appropriate and affordable technologies in several ways,” he said.

Some of the technologies that have been adapted are grapes desteemer machine, coal briquette machine, sunflower oil mini refinery plant, sunflower oil expeller machine, peanut butter processing machines and sieve shaker machines.

For example, TEMDO has added efficiency to sunflower oil expeller machines to ensure that the oil does not remain in the sunflower meal.

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He said grape destemmer has a capacity of producing 700800 kg per hour and the peanut butter machine produced 50 kg per day.

The sunflower oil mini refinery plant can produce 1,000 litres per day from 600 litres which are suitable for entrepreneurs with medium capital.

The sunflower oil expeller machine is capable of producing 60 litres per hour instead of 40 litres.

However, he said the imported sunflower oil expeller machines did not have the abiity to squash all the oil from the sunflower where TEMDO increased efficiency to ensure that all the sunflower seeds end up in the edible oil.

“Usually, the imported machines are not capable of extracting all the oil in the sunflower seeds,” he said.

For example, one bag of sunflower seeds there are about 17-18 litres but TEMDO has added efficiency of the machine, volume has increased to about 20 litres.

“Our machines are good and strong which are made in line with the development of technology along with taking into account the traditional environment where a small or big entrepreneur can use them easily and efficiently to get the best results,” Prof Kahimba emphasised.

In addition, the DG said by manufacturing prototypes and spares based on its designs the organisation enabled local industries to innovate and improve their products and processes.

Noting “TEMDO has served several existing industries such as Kijenge Animal Products (KAP) in Arusha, Minjingu Mining Company in Manyara and Saint Gobain Lodhia Gypsum Industries Ltd in Kilimanjaro regions”

Prof Kahimba noted that the organisation also provided technical extension services and training aimed at increasing technical manpower skills at all levels.

This capacity building helps industries to adopt and utilise advanced technologies effectively.

Examples of industries whose staff have been trained by TEMDO are GASCO Madimba Gas Processing Plant and Songosongo Gas Power Generation Plant.

Furthermore, he said to ensure technology adapted, TEMDO facilitated the adoption of appropriate technology that directly contributed to enhancing productivity, improving product quality and reducing costs for local industries.

“This, in turn, improves economic opportunities and livelihoods for people involved in these industries,” noted Prof Kahimba adding we assist industries in improving their processes and product quality.