Davis & Shirtliff, the leading water and vitality tools supplier in East Africa is celebrating its seventy fifth Anniversary, a serious milestone in its company history. This is a most uncommon achievement for any organisation, though especially one that has the same household shareholding and essentially the identical market focus since its founding. There are few companies anywhere with this declare and D&S is therefore extremely happy with the achievement with various events being held in celebration.
The firm was based in 1946 by ex-soldiers Eddie Davis and Dick Shirtliff after leaving the army, initially being based at Westlands, in Nairobi, their neighbour being Westlands Motors that rose to prominence with the Toyota franchise.
It grew rapidly because the country recovered after the warfare specializing in boreholes, water provides and the espresso industry. One notable early project included the water supply for Karen Estates, the whole preliminary water supply infrastructure being installed by the company in addition to for many different of the residential estates that have been developed at the moment.
D&S grew with the country and within the mid-1950s the base was moved to new larger premises at the moment Dundori Rd location in the industrial area. An added activity was swimming swimming pools, each residential and industrial and many had been constructed that are still in use right now. Water Treatment was another diversification, many of the KenGen Tana River stations having D&S designed and constructed tools.
In 1970 companion Dick Shirtliff retired and after a period with one other partner, Devji Shingadia, the Davis household, then represented by Eddie’s son Alec assumed management. The 70’s and 80’s noticed sluggish however steady progress as the nation grappled with numerous economic and political challenges, though there was a particular focus on constructing the pump business for which the corporate is so well-known, notably through representation of the Danish manufacturer Grundfos.
1993 was a major yr for both Kenya and D&S due to economic liberalisation which was the catalyst for the company’s rapid development since. It was additionally the year that Pedrollo pumps from Italy were first introduced, now the Group’s largest provider. These two developments enabled a distribution strategy to be developed as provide constraints had been removed and the branch community was then established, initially with Kenya branches being opened in Westlands, Eldoret and Kisumu and subsidiaries in Uganda and Tanzania quickly followed by establishing activities at the Coast although the merger with associate Butech. The pump business grew vastly with Pedrollo and the now well-established Solar and Power Generation actions have been then added.
Since the Millennium growth has greatly accelerated, income rising many times to KShs10 Billion today. Major initiatives have included a whole redevelopment of the Dundori Rd site with expansion into adjoining plots, the opening of subsidiaries and associate companies in Rwanda, Zambia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Zimbabwe and DRC, appreciable development of the branch network, introduction of the profitable Dayliff vary of own-brand products and a huge expansion of the product vary with Solar being especially profitable as the company developed its focus on renewable vitality. More recently a significant development has been establishment of a large 10,000m2 Distribution Centre at Tatu City that provides the resource for increased stockholding and has remodeled distribution efficiency all through the area, this facility being accomplished in 2020. Staffing has also grown correspondingly, the Group now employing over a thousand dedicated staff operating from over 70 areas.
It is commonly stated that success is transitory and generally unsustainable, though D&S has managed to take care of unbroken development for an distinctive time period. เกจ์อาร์กอนsumo has been achieved by commercial focus, manageable ambition, steady bodily and organisational investment and, importantly, residing the values established by the founders of Quality, Integrity and ‘Altiora Peto’, which translates to embracing steady change. D&S is now a extensively recognised firm within the region and is proud of the contribution it has made, summarised by its slogan ‘Improving Lives’ which is demonstrated each by the important nature of its activities and also by an lively programme of group assist that focuses on offering water to underprivileged communities, many 1000’s of individuals having benefited.
Of course, the 75-year milestone is just a moment in a continuous journey and the Group continues to develop with numerous ongoing initiatives and great plans for the future. Ably led by CEO David Gatende and supported by devoted and committed executives and employees driving this growth, the company is lucky that the third technology of Davis’s, Edward and Henry, have joined the business so continuity is assured. The Group continues to expand in product and markets with a selected give attention to digital enterprise and looks forward to keep serving the area with important products that certainly Improve Lives and in addition to demonstrate that an indigenous African firm can compete internationally and be a world-class organisation.
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