THE Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company (GCMC) under the Managing Directorship of Nana Wiafe Ababio has begun production of cylinders of various sizes at full capacity to meet the demands of consumers.

The company has targeted the production of 8,000 pieces of cylinders a month as against 6,000 cylinders produced the whole of last year.

Nana Ababio who gave hints about prospects of the company and re-organisational efforts at a meeting with distributors and agents in Kumasi, called for the co-operation and support of the distribution network.

He explained that the current operational level has been made possible following a ?2billiion grant from the Ministry of Trade and Industry for the procurement of raw materials.

The CEO said his administration has inherited an indebtedness of ?600million in overdraft and $135 million worth of raw materials from South Africa which indebtedness had been reduced from the sale of 6000 unsold cylinders at the time he assumed office.

He said the company had adopted efficient and cost effective marketing and distributing operations to ensure constant availability of GCMC cylinders on the market.

According to the GCMC boss, the new distribution structure and network comprise various zones managed by one sole distributor to ensure constant supply of the cylinders.

As a result the old arrangement where the company dealt with individuals had ceased. All agents would have to deal with one distributor, Madam Gladys Genfi, in the case of Ashanti region, for all their suppliers.

The Metro Chief Executive of KMA, Mr. Maxwell Kofi Jumah, addressing the agents, urged them to intensify their distribution efforts and champion the crusade against the use of charcoal which was expensive health hazard and degraded the environment.

Jumah said GCMC cylinders are cheap and affordable replacement of charcoal which production is found to be the source of asthma through the inhalation of smoke and therefore injurious to health generally.