Packaging Manufacture

Case Study 6: Packaging manufacture

Sompack was first established in Mogadishu in 2002 to manufacture cartons to support the revival of banana exports. In 2022, with an investment of US$ 1.5 million by new diaspora investors, the company set up a large and technically advanced corrugated packaging plant in Mogadishu, because the previous operation had relied on low-capacity used machinery.

Equipped with modern packaging technology, the plant was relaunched to offer customized packaging products, including corrugated and solid cardboard boxes, folding corrugated boxes, a variety of cartons, and rigid-sided corrugated boxes of all sizes (3 to 7 ply). The operation offers in-house design, sample making, printing plates, cutting dies, and facilities for maintenance and transport.

The plant can produce an average of 9,000 cartons per hour, and its primary target market includes agribusiness (banana, fruits), fisheries, and water distillers. In addition, Sompack aims to sell to the other small and mid-sized industries and businesses that are rapidly developing in Mogadishu, Puntland and Somaliland. According to industry estimates, Somalia's demand for cartons is estimated at US$ 5 million per year, with the majority of packaging products currently being imported from China and the UAE.

The setting-up of the packaging plant is expected to support the development of the agribusiness sector by improving the transportation of fruits across the country and providing high-quality packaging for exports.

Key Metrics

The annual value of the demand for packaging materials is estimated at US$ 5 million

Main markets: South Somalia, Puntland, Somaliland, Somali region (Ethiopia)

For more information, visit https://sompack.com/