Petropak

What Petropak does

Petropak Limited is a Tanzanian manufacturer of metal drums and plastic storage containers, operating from a 14,000 sqft (1,600 sqm) facility in Mbagala Industrial Area, Dar es Salaam. The company was incorporated in 2013 and remained inactive until it was acquired by Petro Group, a diversified conglomerate with a presence across East, Central and Southern Africa. Its metal drum line includes MS Painted Standard Barrels, MS Epoxy Coated Barrels, Mild Steel, Galvanized Steel, Bitumen Barrels and 160L Bitumen Drums, manufactured from Cold Rolled Close Annealed (CRCA) sheet using machinery imported from Turkey and the United Kingdom. A plastic packaging line was being established in early 2022 to produce HDPE closed top and full open top barrels, narrow mouth containers (rectangular, square, round), wide mouth containers, jerry cans, and bottles.

The company sells its products primarily to two B2B verticals in Tanzania: the food and agricultural export sector (packaging for processed cashews, cassava by-products, honey, pulses, and fruits) and the petroleum and industrial sector (storage and transport of petroleum products, lubricants, fuels, and bitumen). Its go-to-market is direct sales with quote-based pricing, full customization to client specifications, and a 15-day lead time. All products are tested and certified by the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) prior to dispatch, with quality assurance supported by calibration, leak testing, thickness measurement, and dry film thickness instruments.

Revenue mechanics are based on one-time hardware sales of manufactured containers, with no recurring or subscription component. Customer acquisition relies on the company's website quote request form, social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), a blog/news section, and newsletter sign-ups. The company positions itself as a quality alternative to substandard local drum manufacturing, emphasizing food-grade quality, reusability, recyclability, and low-carbon CRCA inputs. As of the source period, the firm operates with a 5-employee headcount and operates only domestically in Tanzania, with stated regional ambition aligned to its parent group's footprint.

Name

Petropak

Legal name

Petropak Limited

Website

https://petropak.co.tz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Petropak Limited is a Tanzanian manufacturer of metal drums and HDPE plastic storage containers serving B2B customers in the food and agricultural export sector and the petroleum and industrial sector, operating from a commissioned facility in Mbagala Industrial Area, Dar es Salaam, as a subsidiary of Petro Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Packaging

NAICS

Boiler, Tank, and Shipping Container Manufacturing (3324)

akta.pro primary industry

Blow-Molded Drums, Barrels & IBC Components (IMANAGAE)

Keywords

• Industrial metal drums
• HDPE plastic containers
• Steel barrels
• Jerry cans manufacturing
• Bitumen packaging

Headquarters

HQ city

Dar es Salaam

HQ country

Tanzania

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Metal Drum Sales: One-time sale of manufactured metal drums including MS Painted Standard Barrel, MS Epoxy Coated, Mild Steel Barrel, Galvanized Steel Barrel, Bitumen Barrel, and Barrel Accessories.
2. Plastic Storage Apparatus Sales: Sale of plastic storage products including HDPE Closed Top Barrel, HDPE Full Open Top Barrel, Jerry Cans, Narrow Mouth containers (Rectangular, Square, Round), and Wide Mouth containers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Petropak manufactures metal drums (MS painted, epoxy coated, galvanized, mild steel and bitumen barrels) and HDPE plastic storage containers (jerry cans, barrels, bottles). Products serve petroleum, food, agricultural, lubricant and industrial customers in Tanzania using Cold Rolled Close Annealed (CRCA) sheet and imported machinery from Turkey and the UK.

Product overview

Petropak is a Tanzanian manufacturer of metal drums and plastic storage containers. The company produces two main product lines: metal steel drums (including MS Painted Standard, MS Epoxy Coated, Mild Steel, Galvanized Steel, Bitumen Barrels, and accessories in 160L capacity) and HDPE plastic containers (including closed top barrels, open top barrels, narrow mouth containers in rectangular/square/round formats, wide mouth containers, jerry cans, and bottles). The products serve the agricultural, petroleum, food, and industrial sectors for storage and transport applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MS Painted Standard Barrel A standard mild steel barrel with a painted finish, used by industrial and petroleum-sector buyers for bulk liquid storage and transport.
• MS Epoxy Coated Barrel A mild steel barrel with an internal epoxy coating, designed for safer storage of food-grade and chemically sensitive contents.
• Mild Steel Barrel Reusable and recyclable mild steel barrel manufactured from CRCA sheet, serving bulk industrial packaging needs.
• Galvanized Steel Barrel A galvanized steel barrel providing enhanced corrosion resistance for outdoor and harsh-environment storage.
• Bitumen Barrel Steel barrel purpose-built for bitumen packaging and related heavy-viscosity industrial products.
• 160L Bitumen Drum A 160-litre steel drum designed for the packaging and transport of bitumen products.
• Barrel Accessories Complementary accessories for Petropak's steel barrels, supporting handling, sealing and closure requirements.
• HDPE Closed Top Barrel High-density polyethylene closed-top barrel intended for bulk storage of liquids in food, chemical and industrial applications.
• HDPE Full Open Top Barrel HDPE barrel with a full open top, providing easy access for filling, emptying and cleaning of bulk contents.
• HDPE Narrow Mouth Containers (Rectangular, Square, Round) HDPE narrow-mouth containers offered in rectangular, square and round shapes, used for storing and dispensing liquids.
• HDPE Wide Mouth Containers HDPE wide-mouth containers designed for filling, storage and transport of viscous or granular industrial materials.
• Jerry Cans HDPE jerry cans manufactured for portable storage and transport of liquids in industrial and commercial settings.
• HDPE Bottles HDPE plastic bottles supplied to industrial buyers for smaller-volume liquid packaging needs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reusable containers provide savings over time compared to paper and polythene alternatives
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Schütz GmbH & Co. KGaA: German manufacturer of IBCs, steel drums, and plastic containers for chemicals, food, and fuel industries. Comparable product mix to Petropak, particularly in food-grade and petroleum packaging.
• Greif Inc. Global industrial packaging products and services company producing steel drums, plastic drums, and containerboard. Highly comparable product line and B2B customer base to Petropak.
• ALPLA Werke Alwin Lehner GmbH: Global plastic packaging manufacturer producing bottles, jerry cans, and containers across food, beverage, and industrial markets. Comparable to Petropak's HDPE product line at much larger scale.
• Mauser Packaging Solutions: Global leader in industrial packaging including steel drums, plastic containers, and IBCs. Directly comparable to Petropak's metal drum and HDPE container portfolio, though at vastly greater scale and geographic reach.

Direct peers

• Time Technoplast Ltd. Indian manufacturer of polymer products including HDPE drums, jerry cans, and containers for chemicals, lubricants, and food. Closely comparable HDPE product portfolio to Petropak's plastic line.
• Balmer Lawrie & Co. Ltd. Indian public-sector conglomerate with a significant industrial packaging division producing steel drums and barrels for lubricants, chemicals, and food. Closely comparable business model and customer verticals to Petropak.

Regional players

• Sona Group / Sona Plastics: Tanzanian/East African plastic products manufacturer producing jerry cans and household plastic ware. Regional competitor in the same geography, though primarily consumer-oriented packaging.
• Polysack Plastics Tanzania: East African plastic manufacturer serving packaging needs in Tanzania. Regional competitor in HDPE and related plastic containers, though product overlap with Petropak may be partial.

Emerging players

• Mold-Tek Packaging Limited: Manufacturer of rigid plastic packaging including containers and drums for food, lubricants, and chemicals. Comparable to Petropak's HDPE range though more focused on injection-moulded packaging.
• Inkabi Packaging: African industrial packaging producer targeting food and petroleum sectors with metal and plastic containers. Comparable business model to Petropak though smaller scale and emerging presence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/petropak

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Petropak