Uganda’s growing manufacturing sector and its potential to drive regional trade have taken centre stage after more than 150 investors from 10 countries visited RZ Innovations Limited and its parent company, Royikems Industries Limited.
The visit was part of Equity Group’s 2026 Uganda Trade and Investment Roadshow, which seeks to connect businesses and investors across African markets and create opportunities for trade, investment and commercial partnerships.
The investors toured the companies’ manufacturing facilities to gain firsthand insight into Uganda’s production capabilities while exploring potential markets, investment opportunities and partnerships across the region.
The trade mission followed the launch of the roadshow at the Marriott Hotel in Kampala on September 14.
Irene Irungu, Senior Manager of Trade Relations at Equity Group, said the initiative was driven by growing demand from businesses seeking to expand into other African markets.
“The journey started because of overwhelming demand from our customers who wanted to explore different parts of Africa. It was about regional integration, directly matching our producers with buyers across our subsidiary markets so they could conduct direct trade rather than struggling to find new markets on their own,” Irungu said.
RZ Innovations traces its roots to a motorcycle spare-parts trading business established in 2005.
The group entered manufacturing in 2013 through Royikems Industries before launching RZ Innovations in 2021 to manufacture motorcycle brake shoes.
The company has since expanded its product range to include motorcycle inner tubes and tyres and currently employs about 650 people.
Its monthly production capacity stands at approximately 900,000 brake shoes, 600,000 inner tubes and 150,000 motorcycle tyres.
The products are supplied to markets in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The wider group also manufactures consumer packaging through Five Star Plastics and polyurethane mattresses under the Goose Foam brand.
Mark Ssempijja, General Manager of RZ Innovations, said the company is increasingly focusing on local production and recycling as part of efforts to improve efficiency and reduce waste.
The company collects scrap aluminium, melts it and uses the material to manufacture components for its brake shoes. It also incorporates recycled rubber into its production processes and is planning to establish a dedicated rubber recycling plant.
Despite the company’s expansion, management told the visiting investors that unreliable electricity supply remains one of the major challenges affecting manufacturing operations.
RZ Innovations is investing in an additional power connection while also exploring commercial solar solutions to improve the reliability of its electricity supply.
Other challenges highlighted during the engagement included foreign exchange fluctuations, transport infrastructure, rising costs of imported raw materials and logistics.
Dr Ishaka Buya, a Kenyan investor and member of the trade mission, said renewable energy could help manufacturers reduce the impact of power interruptions and high electricity costs.
“Integrating commercial solar is a game-changer for high-demand manufacturers like RZ Innovations to stabilise factory operations and reduce overhead costs,” Buya said.
He said combining solar power with the national grid and backup systems could help manufacturers maintain production during power interruptions.
The discussions also focused on the role of financing, technology and partnerships in helping Ugandan manufacturers increase production and compete in regional markets.
For RZ Innovations, regional distribution remains a major growth opportunity. The company already has a distribution network in Kenya and supplies products to several East African and neighbouring markets.
The company expressed interest in partnerships that could support further investment in manufacturing, renewable energy and distribution.
Equity Group said the trade mission is intended to connect investors and businesses across markets where the group operates while creating opportunities for companies to access capital, technology, suppliers and new customers.
For Ugandan manufacturers, the engagement comes as regional integration continues to create opportunities to supply products beyond the domestic market.
The visit also allowed investors to assess the scale of local manufacturing and understand some of the challenges businesses face as they seek to expand.
RZ Innovations said continued investment in production capacity, energy security, recycling and regional distribution will be central to its next phase of growth.
The company’s expansion illustrates the potential for Ugandan manufacturers to move beyond importing finished products and increase local production for the wider East African market.
