Movit declared overall winner of the UNBS quality gala

State minister for trade, Michael Werikhe, (left) and executive director of UNBS, Dr Ben Manyindo (second right) hand over an overall winner prize to Movit Products employees at the quality Gala Awards gala at Pearl of Africa Hotel on November 30. Photos by Eddie Ssejjoba

Movit Products Limited, manufacturers of cosmetic products were Thursday night declared overall winners of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) annual quality gala awards following stiff competition from a multitude of upcoming and well established local manufacturers.

The gala, whose theme for this year is, "Promoting Ugandan manufactured products" is organised annually to recognise companies that have demonstrated excellence in compliance to standards and certification of their products and services.

Movit first emerged winners of the cosmetics category where they trounced Mukwano Care Products who were in second position and Royal Care Cosmetics in third position.  

As usual it was a time for celebrations and smiles for the winning teams who always look up to this dinner to thump chests and showcase their muscles against competitors.

Eagle Air officials celebrate after their company topped the services category

At a colourful ceremony held at Pearl of Africa Hotel at Nakasero, AK oils and Fats (U) Limited were declared winners of the Agro-Processing (large) category, followed by Kande Poultry Farm Limited and Yash Investments Limited.

In the micro, small and medium enterprises category, Tursam Investments Limited came top, followed by Arzat Food Suppliers Limited and Harmony Nutrifoods Limited.

Britania Allied Industries Limited took the beverages category, beating Century Bottling Company Limited and Hariss International Limited to the top category position.

However Hariss International Limited bounced back as winners of the foods category, beating Bidco Uganda Limited and Sugar Corporation of Uganda in second and third positions respectively.

In the chemicals category, Regal Paints (U) Limited came top, followed by Mukwano Industries Limited (Soap) and CCLE Rubber Company Limited. Hima Cement Limited smiled all the way home after coming top of the Construction Category, followed by Roofings Mills Limited and Steel & Tube Industries Limited in third position.

In the Electricals Category, Crane Roofing Limited surprised everyone when they emerged winners, followed by Cable Corporation Limited.

For the first time, Eagle Air Limited topped the Services Category, followed by Huawei Technologies (U) Company Limited and Securex Agencies (U) Limited.

Minister speaks

In a speech delivered by state minister for trade Michael Werikhe, the minister of trade, industry and co-operatives, Amelia Kyambadde, said that as the gala has over the years demonstrated that Ugandan companies and particularly the MSMEs were committed to continuously improve their processes to meet increasing demand for quality products.

"I want to thank UNBS for recognising such companies and this further demonstrates your commitment to improve competitiveness of local products through standardisation and quality assurance," she said in the speech.

She explained that promoting the competiveness of local industries under the Buy Uganda Build Uganda (BUBU) policy was at the heart of the ministry strategy in contributing to the economic growth of the country. She said that

She said that the BUBU strategy had already made strides in ensuring that locally manufactured products get a fair share of the local market. 

"You will agree with me that if we are to promote industrialisation, create jobs and spur economic growth of our great nation, locally manufactured goods should be able to get a fair share of the local market," she stated.

According to Kyambadde, countries that have been able to industrialise have often built the competitiveness of the industries by first winning the hearts of local consumers before going on to dominate international markets.

The UNBS executive director, Dr Ben Manyindo said that for the past 15 years of holding the gala they had continued to witness growth in the number of participating companies, which he said demonstrated industry commitment to uphold standards and ensure production of quality products.

He explained that UNBS intervention in support of BUBU policy focuses on areas of developing standards for products to facilitate specification and evaluation or provide product quality assurance and safety between suppliers and buyers.

Other areas, according to Manyindo look into building the capability of industry to adopt and implement standards to enhance product quality and safety and comply with standards requirements.