A local steel manufacturer has invested Sh. 2 billion in a new mattresses and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) water tanks factory in Kisumu.
The Mombasa-based Jumbo Steel Mills opened the new plant in Kisumu over the weekend, an investment that targets to create over 600 jobs for locals.
The plant which sits on 27 acres has been installed with state of the art machinery running on 100 per cent 700kw solar power.
Jumbo Steel Mills Managing Director (MD) Harsh Patel said the facility located at Korowe along the Kisumu-Kericho road will produce Ndovu Tanks and Ndovu Mattresses for the local and regional market.
The company, he said, will produce Mattresses of various kinds among them pocket spring mattresses, Bonnet Spring mattresses and the traditional mattresses used in schools.
“We have also invested in a PVC water tank manufacturing facility which will produce storage tanks ranging from 250 Liters to 12,000 Liters,” he said.
The multi-billion investments, he said, was informed by the strategic location of Kisumu city with the plant expected to serve the western region and neighboring countries of Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“Additionally, the government has revamped the port and the rail structures which allows for the flow of goods within the country efficiently. The skilled labor within Kisumu County is easily available and I am proud to announce that we built our new facility using experts and engineers from within the county,” he said.
Isuzu East Africa (EA) handed over 82 tracks purchased by the firm at a cost of Sh. 400 million to support in logistics.
“Logistics is an integral part of our business because of the timely deliveries of our products to our customers. We were keen to work with a reliable automotive partner to provide suitable vehicles that would meet this requirement,” said Harsh.
Speaking during the vehicle handing over ceremony at the new plant on Monday, Isuzu Sales Director Wanjohi Kangangi said the purchase of the vehicles by Jumbo Steel Mills reaffirmed Isuzu’s position as the leading vehicle brand in Kenya.
“I wish to thank Jumbo Steel Mills Management for this great demonstration of the Buy Kenya, Build Kenya initiative that seeks to promote consumption of local products, hence building the economy,” he said.
Isuzu East Africa after sales Director Julius Mwangi pledged maintenance and service support for the fleet through the 55 authorized Isuzu service centers across Kenya adding that the company has invested in state of the art diagnostics kits to ensure all Isuzu customers get efficient technical support anywhere in Kenya.
Speaking during the same occasion Isuzu East Africa Chairman Hiroshi Hisatomi affirmed that the leading motor vehicle assembler in East Africa’s commitment to support the manufacturing sector in the country by selling a wide range of Isuzu vehicles.
The brand has attained strong leadership in this market, selling over 100,000 units since the first Isuzu vehicle rolled out of its Nairobi assembly plant in 1977.
With over 15 models in its line-up, the Isuzu brand has dominated the new vehicle segment for ten years in a row since 2012, achieving a market share of 45.02 per cent by end of 2021.
