Our Engineer Completes On-Site Training in Kampala, Uganda, Receives Warm Feedback

May 15, 2026 — Our senior engineer Li Wei returned safely to our headquarters in China this week after completing a 14-day intensive on-site service trip to Kampala, Uganda. During his stay, he successfully installed, commissioned and provided comprehensive hands-on training for two fully automatic high-speed paper cup machines we delivered to our local customer. This successful service mission not only helped a new entrepreneur launch their business smoothly but also further solidified our company's reputation for reliable after-sales support in the fast-growing East African market.

The customer is a newly established disposable paper products factory located on the outskirts of Kampala, founded by local business partners Mrs. Ovia and Mr. Musa. This marks their first venture into the paper cup manufacturing industry, a decision driven by the rapidly growing demand for eco-friendly packaging in Uganda. With the Ugandan government implementing strict single-use plastic bans last year and the booming food delivery and café sectors across the country, they identified a significant market gap for locally produced high-quality paper cups. They purchased the two machines from us three months ago after extensive research and comparisons with suppliers from China, India and Turkey. Since none of their initial 3 factory workers had any prior experience operating automated production equipment, they specifically requested an experienced on-site engineer to guide them through the entire setup and training process.

Li Wei arrived in Kampala on May 1st and started work immediately after a brief rest. The first major challenge he encountered was the unstable local power supply, a common issue in many parts of East Africa. The factory's grid voltage fluctuated frequently between 180V and 260V, far outside the normal operating range of our precision machines. This caused repeated unexpected shutdowns during initial testing and posed a risk of damaging sensitive electrical components. Li spent a full day systematically checking the entire electrical system, diagnosing the root cause of the problem, and working closely with the customer to source and install a high-capacity industrial voltage stabilizer. He also carefully adjusted the machine's built-in electrical protection parameters to make it more adaptable to local power conditions, which completely resolved the shutdown issue and ensured long-term operational stability.

Over the next four days, Li focused entirely on training the customer's three factory workers. He designed a structured training program that started with the absolute basics, showing them step by step how to safely load paper rolls, start and stop the machine, monitor production parameters and collect finished products. He then moved on to more advanced topics, including daily and weekly maintenance procedures, how to change molds for different cup sizes (4oz, 8oz and 12oz), and how to troubleshoot common minor problems such as paper jams, poor sealing and misaligned printing.

The biggest training challenge was the language barrier, as most of the workers spoke only basic conversational English and were more comfortable in Luganda. To overcome this, Li used a combination of live demonstrations, visual aids and simple gestures. He created custom illustrated instruction cards with pictures and key English phrases for each procedure, and patiently repeated every step multiple times until all three workers could perform them independently without assistance. He also set aside extra time for one-on-one coaching with the worker who was most nervous about operating the machines. The customer's manager, Mr. Musa, was particularly impressed with Li's patience, professionalism and willingness to go the extra mile.

"Before Li came, we were really worried that we wouldn't be able to run these machines properly," Mrs. Ovia said during a factory inspection. "We had heard horror stories from other business owners about suppliers who disappeared after delivering the equipment, leaving them stuck with expensive machines they couldn't operate. But Li explained everything so clearly and never got tired of answering our questions, no matter how many times we asked. Now all our workers can operate the machines by themselves, and we feel much more confident about the future of our business."

On the last day of the trip, after confirming that both machines were running stably at their full rated capacity of 120 cups per minute and consistently producing high-quality paper cups with perfect sealing and uniform wall thickness, Mrs. Ovia insisted on taking Li out for dinner at a popular local restaurant. They tried traditional Ugandan dishes including matoke (steamed green bananas), luwombo (meat or vegetables steamed in banana leaves) and fresh grilled tilapia from Lake Victoria. Over dinner, they exchanged stories about their different cultures, daily lives and business experiences, building a genuine personal connection that went beyond a typical business relationship.

Mrs. Ovia told Li that she was extremely satisfied with both the performance of the machines and the level of after-sales service we provided. She shared that the factory had already received several pre-orders from local cafes, restaurants and event planners even before production officially started, and she plans to order two more machines from us by the end of the year to meet the rapidly growing demand. She also promised to enthusiastically recommend our products and services to other business owners in Uganda and neighboring countries who are looking to start similar paper packaging businesses.

This successful on-site service has not only helped our Ugandan customer get their business off to a smooth and successful start but also strengthened our company's reputation as a reliable partner in the East African market. As more African countries implement plastic reduction policies and the demand for eco-friendly packaging continues to rise, we will continue to invest in our global after-sales service network, ensuring that all our customers around the world receive the timely, professional support they need to maximize the value of their equipment.