What Global BP Solutions LLC does

ArtCorp (Amalgamated Regional Trading), listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange under ticker ART, is a diversified industrial group manufacturing and distributing consumer and industrial essentials across four core verticals: lead-acid batteries (Chloride Zimbabwe, Chloride Zambia, and the Exide Express retail arm), paper and plastic stationery (Eversharp Zimbabwe), tissue and hygiene products (Softex Zimbabwe, jointly owned with Hunyani), and sustainable forestry and timber (Mutare Board & Paper Mills). The group serves retail chains (OK Zimbabwe, TM Pick n Pay, Rank, Gain Cash & Carry, N. Richards, Metro Cash & Carry), educational institutions, hospitals and clinics, government bodies, automotive and solar energy customers, and timber buyers across Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, and Botswana. Manufacturing operations are anchored in Harare, Bulawayo, Penhalonga, and Lusaka, with nationwide and regional distribution networks operated through wholly-owned subsidiaries and joint ventures.

The business is vertically integrated in select operations: Mutare Board & Paper Mills operates an in-house silviculture department and modern harvesting fleet (harvesters, tractors, trucks) across 5,000+ hectares of plantation forest at the Salliven, Inodzi/Nyagari, and Drennan estates in Penhalonga; Exide Express runs a battery scrap collection channel feeding Chloride Zimbabwe's recycling operations; and Eversharp manages the full pen lifecycle including tropicalised ink formulation and ventilated safety caps designed for African climates. Softex has held ISO 9000 (quality management, since 1996) and ISO 14001 (environmental management, since 2004) certifications. Brand equity is concentrated in legacy brands — Eversharp 15M (Brand of the Year, 2005, Zimbabwe Standards Association), Chloride/Exide (60+ years), Softex, and the broader Eversharp pen family (Pen Pal, Mate, HB pencils, rulers, Mighty Mark markers, Smart Covers book covers).

Revenue is generated through hardware sales of manufactured goods distributed via subsidiary-owned depots (Harare, Bulawayo, Lusaka), major retail chains, wholesale distributors, and regional export channels. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The group is publicly traded on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, providing financial transparency and regulatory oversight. Mutare Board & Paper Mills, originally established in 1953, ceased paper manufacturing in 2008 and pivoted to sustainable forestry and timber production, illustrating a historical willingness to restructure around asset-efficient verticals.

Name

Global BP Solutions LLC

Legal name

Art Corporation

Website

https://artcorp.co.zw

Company type

Public

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ArtCorp (Amalgamated Regional Trading) is a Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-listed industrial group manufacturing and distributing batteries, stationery, tissue products, and sustainable timber across Southern Africa through subsidiaries Chloride, Exide Express, Eversharp, Softex, and Mutare Board & Paper Mills.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diversified Industrial Manufacturing

NAICS

Battery Manufacturing (33591), Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing (325611)

SIC

Pens, Pencils & Other Artists' Materials (3950), Papers & Allied Products (2600), Millwood, Veneer, Plywood, & Structural Wood Members (2430), Plastics Products, Nec (3089)

akta.pro primary industry

Napkins, Tableware & Foodservice Disposables (Plates, Cups, Cutlery) (CRADALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hygiene Packaging & Dispensing Systems (Dispenser Systems, Packs) (IMAMAGAJ), Tissue & Hygiene Paper Distribution (IMAMAIAH), Paper-Based Packaging & Single-Use Paper Products (Paper Bags, Wraps, Cartons) (CRADALAL)

Keywords

• Lead-acid batteries
• Pens and stationery
• Tissue and hygiene products
• Sustainable forestry
• Industrial manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Harare

HQ country

Zimbabwe

HQ region

Africa

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Battery Sales: Manufacturing and retailing of lead-acid batteries for automotive and solar applications through Chloride Zimbabwe, Chloride Zambia, and Exide Express retail network
2. Stationery Products: Manufacturing and distribution of pens, stationery, and paper products through Eversharp Zimbabwe and Kadoma Paper Mills
3. Tissue and Hygiene Products: Manufacturing and distribution of tissue products, feminine sanitary ware, and washroom hygiene products through Softex
4. Timber Products: Sustainable timber production from 5,000+ hectares of plantation forest, supplying saw logs and sawn timber for domestic consumption and export

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ArtCorp manufactures and retails lead-acid batteries, pens and stationery, tissue and hygiene products, and manages sustainable forestry resources. Operating through subsidiaries including Chloride Zimbabwe, Chloride Zambia, Exide Express, Eversharp, Softex, and Mutare Board & Paper Mills, the company produces everyday essentials distributed across Zimbabwe, Zambia, and other Southern African markets.

Product overview

ArtCorp (Amalgamated Regional Trading) is a Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-listed industrial group operating a diversified manufacturing and distribution portfolio. The company is organized into multiple subsidiaries producing lead-acid batteries (Chloride Zimbabwe, Chloride Zambia, Exide Express), pens and stationery (Eversharp), tissue and hygiene products (Softex), and forestry/timber products (Mutare Board & Paper Mills). Products are manufactured in Zimbabwe and Zambia with distribution extending to Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, and other African markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Exide: Lead-acid battery brand for automotive and solar market
• Eversharp 15M
• Softex
• Eversharp Pen Pal
• Eversharp Mate
• Mighty Mark
• Eversharp Rulers
• Eversharp HB Pencils
• Smart Covers

Products and services

• Chloride Zimbabwe Leading manufacturer and supplier of automotive and industrial batteries headquartered in Harare, producing car batteries, solar batteries, power backup systems, inverters, solar panels, and charge controllers.
• Chloride Zambia Leading supplier of automotive and industrial batteries headquartered in Lusaka, serving most provincial centers across Zambia with battery products and services.
• Exide Express Retail arm of ART Energy, the leading distributor of lead-acid batteries under the Exide brand for automotive and solar markets. Also collects scrap batteries for recycling through Chloride Zimbabwe.
• Eversharp Paper and plastic stationery division and largest pen manufacturer in Zimbabwe, producing pens, rulers, pencils, markers, and book covers with regional distribution to Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, and Botswana. Includes tropicalised ink pens suited for all African climates.
• Softex Leading producer and supplier of tissue, feminine sanitary ware, and washroom hygiene products. Manufactures toilet tissue rolls, facial tissues, serviettes, cotton wool, sanitary pads, diapers, soap dispensers, and air fresheners. ISO 9000 certified since 1996 and ISO 14001 certified since 2004.
• Mutare Board & Paper Mills Forestry and sustainable timber production division managing over 5,000 hectares of plantation forest in Penhalonga. Produces high-quality Pine and Eucalyptus saw logs and sawn timber with fully integrated in-house silviculture and harvesting operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Dominant market leader in Zimbabwe's writing instruments sector
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• HunyanicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint ownership of Softex Tissue Products alongside Art Corporation. Hunyani co-owns Softex which is the leading producer and supplier of tissue, feminine sanitary ware and washroom/toilet hygiene products in Zimbabwe. This joint venture combines manufacturing expertise and distribution capabilities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Stabilo: European writing instruments manufacturer with global distribution. Comparable to Eversharp's pen and stationery portfolio and active in similar school and office supply channels.
• Clarios: World's largest automotive battery manufacturer (formerly Johnson Controls Power Solutions), owner of the global Varta/Exide brands. Broad incumbent whose brand portfolio and category leadership shape the competitive context for Chloride and the licensed Exide mark in Africa.
• BIC: Global manufacturer of writing instruments and stationery including ballpoint pens. Broad incumbent competitor to Eversharp across the African retail channels where both brands are distributed.
• Kimberly-Clark: Global tissue, hygiene, and personal care major (Kleenex, Huggies, Kotex). Comparable product portfolio to Softex across toilet tissue, feminine care, and washroom hygiene, and a benchmark for category expansion ambition.

Regional players

• Tanganda Tea Company: Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-listed agro-industrial group with own-estate production and branded consumer goods. Comparable as a publicly listed Zimbabwe industrial with vertically integrated estate operations and brand-led distribution, similar in governance profile to ArtCorp.
• National Tyre Services: Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-listed industrial group with retail and distribution operations. Comparable as another diversified Zimbabwe-listed industrial with parallel nationwide distribution network and multi-brand retail footprint.
• Sappi Southern Africa: South African pulp, paper, and biomaterials producer with plantation forestry assets. Comparable to Mutare Board & Paper Mills on the forestry/sustainable timber side, though operating at much larger scale and in South Africa rather than Zimbabwe.

Direct peers

• First National Battery: South African lead-acid battery manufacturer and distributor. Directly comparable to Chloride Zimbabwe and Chloride Zambia in product category (automotive and industrial batteries) and regional Southern Africa market.
• Exide Industries: Indian-listed lead-acid battery manufacturer with global distribution. Comparable as a lead-acid battery specialist serving automotive and industrial markets; relevant as a scale benchmark for Chloride's product range.
• Amara Raja Energy & Mobility: Indian manufacturer of lead-acid batteries under the Amaron brand for automotive and industrial applications. Closely comparable emerging-market battery OEM with multi-channel distribution similar to Chloride and Exide Express.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/art-corporation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Global BP Solutions LLC