Flowtech Limited The applicant in this project is the British registered company (1995) Silverline Reality Ltd. The local partner is Robray Limited registered in 1968.Currently, there are two companies who are producing uPVC (unplasticized PVC) pipes in Malawi. The maximum pipe diameter both companies can produce is 250 mm. Within Malawi there is also demand for PVC pipes up to 450 mm. All the pipes above 250 mm in diameter have to be imported from South Africa or Botswana which is rather expensive.The aim of this project is to produce PVC pipes and all kinds of different connections with a diameter between 250 mm and 450 mm locally to meet the local demand and to reduce costs. The project will be located in Blantyre. A joint venture will be established.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)The partners will establish a formal CSR policy once this project is taking off. It will include health and safety measures, gender policy and non-discrimination, policy, employee participation, chain responsibility, measures to prevent corruption, and environmental management.Staff will be offered wages 20% above minimum wage. Additional benefits will include workmen compensation, funeral benefits, bonuses and healthcare. All staff members receive 50 kg of maize once a year.Impact•	Employment and working conditionsDirect employment during the pilot project will be 42 staff members (sixteen basic-, 26 medium-/high-level).The joint venture will grow after the pilot project and generate ten more jobs, eight medium-/high-level jobs will be created and two basic-level jobs.The joint venture will pay 20% above minimum wage.Furthermore, they will pay (besides 20% above minimum wage) bonuses on achievement of performance targets. They will also give every staff member 50kg of maize per year as extra bonus. All staff will be insured for workmen compensation.•	Innovation / Transfer of knowledgePolyplast's technical staff has knowledge of uPVC extrusion, however, the new technology that will be required for this pilot project will demand additional training.The employees will need new skills to be able to operate and maintain this new type of machinery.•	Chain effectsThe local production of large diameter uPVC pipes will substitute imports. In addition, the pipes will be more affordable, due to a reduction in transport costs.Furthermore, if large institutional organisations are tendering water projects, they demand that the tenderers would have a sufficient amount of pipes in stock. Especially for the bigger volume pipes this was not the case until now and as a consequence local contractors were losing tenders to foreign competitors. With the local production, the availability of bigger volume pipes will improve and will make the local contractors more competitive.•	EnvironmentOnce the pipes are being extruded, some material will be waste. This waste can be fully brought back into the production process and will not be wasted.Water is used in the process to cool the pipes. The water is 100% recycled into the system and there is no contamination. The project will opt for ISO certification.•	Position of womenThe impact on the position of women will positive. If the work is physically not to demanding and preference is given to women. The goal of this project is to set up a production facility producing large diameter PVC pipes and connections for water reticulation with a maximum capacity of 6,000 meters per year.