Cormart and Big Dutchman to Produce Sandwich Panels in Nigeria

Cormart Nigeria Ltd., one of the leading chemical and food raw materials companies in Nigeria and a member of TGI Group, recently announced a strategic partnership with Big Dutchman for the production of sandwich panels. The focus is on the agricultural sector, specifically on closed pen houses.

Most sandwich panels in Nigeria are imported. With the increasingly global supply chain issues and shipping costs, import prices of sandwich panels cost a premium. This partnership allows Big Dutchman to provide the technical specifications to produce top-quality panels, while Cormart manufactures the panels at its facility in Ogun State.

Dr Johannes Flosbach, Cormart’s General Manager, spoke about the partnership. “We are excited to partner with one of the world’s market leaders in the industry. Big Dutchman is an anchor partner as we have a huge pipeline of projects in the poultry industry, which all require sandwich panels”, he said.

He further stated: “We chose to invest in sandwich panels to cut down the rising cost of importation. Besides the focus on the poultry industry, we will also produce sandwich panels for cold rooms, pharmaceutical facilities, and food processing. The plant will produce sandwich panels at international standards, so the importation of high-quality sandwich panels will no longer be required”.

Managing Director Big Dutchman, Thomas Ogundiran, stated, ‘’Investments in the Nigerian poultry industry are booming but importing equipment is a challenge. Hence, local production of equipment at global standards is the solution. We are happy that we can partner with Cormart to achieve this project. Cormart is a sister company to Chi Farms, which will further add agricultural know-how to the project”.

Martin Middernacht, Cormart’s Managing Director, commented on Cormart’s preparation and the economic impact of the partnership. He said, “The land preparation of the factory is ongoing, and production is expected to start in mid-2022. Local production will not only allow for lower costs but also for much shorter project lead times. While it may take a year between ordering and receiving sandwich panels, this will cut down delivery times below one month. Furthermore, the project will save the Nigerian economy significant Forex reserves and create over 50 jobs in production and sales.”