African telecom operator Africell announced the launch of a pilot project for the assembly of mobile phones in a specialized installation of “Industry Five” in the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kinshasa.
The company aims to assemble up to 30.000 of its own mobile phones called Afriphone in the DRC from January 2022, and take advantage of the builder's facilities.
The Africell and Industry Five expect the first batch of DRC-manufactured Afriphones to be ready by February 2022. Device availability is subject to testing to strict performance standards before distribution to the country's population of over 90 million.
After the initial phase, the company said that production will increase and that up to half a million Afriphones could be assembled in the next 12 months. The company said highly trained local technicians will assemble the devices on site with the help of collaborative robots.
According to the company, the production process can also be decentralized, as future technical activities could take place at the Bandundu, Goma or Lubumbashi units.
BUT: Africell will have more than two thousand workers to distribute the SIM cards
The company said the decision to start assembling Afriphones in the DRC reflects a broader commitment by Africell and Industry Five to develop the regional market, and that the Industry Five facilities in the DRC are also expected to produce a growing range of devices, including tablets. , laptops, high performance servers and data storage solutions.
Sam Williams, Director of Communications for the Africell group said: “Our mobile network business must be a platform for growth and innovation. This applies both to customers who use our services and to the partners and vendors with whom we offer our services to customers. By setting up Afriphones in the DRC, we are spurring supply chain innovation and making a long-term bet that can transform the mobile sourcing economy in our African operating markets.”
Industry Five Group President JP Folsgaard Bak details the advantages associated with the initiative. 🇧🇷This initiative challenges a common view that the only viable way to get mobile phones into the hands of African consumers is to import them ready-to-box. Instead, we are investing in the workforce and facilities that will bring an important section of the supply chain to African soil. Advantages include job creation, more competitive pricing and a mobile sector in the DRC that is better able to withstand global supply shocks.. "
I like your products