Davis& Shirtliff launch of  Sh4million Grundfos subfactory

Nairobi, Kenya February 18, 2014– East Africa’s leading water equipment supplier, Davis and Shirtliff has today launched its Grundfos sub-factory, an in-house assembly plant of the world famous Grundfos SP borehole pumps to reduce waiting time for out of stock pumps and improve market availability. 

“We can now assemble at least 10 pumps a day, unlike before when customers had to wait up to 16 weeks for pumps which were out of stock,” said Mr Alec Davis Group CEO, during the inauguration ceremony held at the Davis and Shirtliff head offices at Industrial Area, Nairobi. 

“Grundfos has partnered with Davis and Shirtliff to ensure that our customers’ access products within the shortest time possible while maintaining the global quality of our products,” said Mr. David 
Githendu, Grundfos Regional General Manager. 

The Grundfos submersible pump will now be assembled in 2 hours at the factory, then shipped to clients in the region. 

The Sh4million sub-factory comes at a time when Davis and Shirtliff has reported a 14 per cent rise in demand for its pumps in 2012, with the company having sold over 80,000 pumps in 2013 alone. 

The growth is in tandem with UNICEF global figures which indicate the number of people using boreholes grew from 1 billion in 1990 to 1.3 billion in 2010. 80 per cent of these borehole users, almost a billion people, are in rural areas. While majority of these use hand help pumps, there has been an uptake of machine operated pumps. 

This demand for pumps in Kenya is attributed to the central and county government focus on water supply and insufficient rain resulting in increased use on underground water. 

“We have more communities using boreholes as a primary source of water this has spurred a demand for the products as more and more villages now turn to boreholes as a primary source of water,” said Mr. Davis. 

The increasing number of better trained plumbers & electricians available to offer installation and maintenance services as well as, good support on spares and warranty has also boosted customer confidence as they invest in the products. 

“Our service providers training program for plumbers and electricians for maintenance of these products is one of the initiatives that is contributing to the increased number of skilled technicians on the ground,” added Mr. Davis. 

The sub-factory facilities also can be used for pump overhauls and will improve service standards thus ensuring high operating efficiencies and extended pump life. 

The Sub Factory concept first was introduced by Grundfos in 2009 and Davis & Shirtliff is among the first in Sub Saharan Africa to adopt it. The inauguration event was hosted by Davis & Shirtliff CEO Alec Davis who was joined by Grundfos’ Regional General Manager David Githendu. 

“We appreciate the support Grundfos’s has given us over the years and are confident that the sub-factory will improve service levels in the market,” said Mr. Davis. 

Mr. Githendu applauded the company for its world class facilities noting that D&S was its largest, most important and longest serving distributor in Africa. He wished Davis & Shirtliff great success and assured the company of Grundfos’ support as it seeks to expand its markets in the region. 

Davis & Shirtliff has represented Grundfos, the world’s largest pump manufacturer, for over 40 years. Grundfos pioneered the stainless steel borehole pump which is now firmly established as the standard for the borehole market in the region. Given the long and close relationship the wide Grundfos pump range is synonymous with Davis & Shirtliff in the East and Central African region where Grundfos are firmly established as the quality pumps of choice for Government projects, municipal supply, industry and agriculture.

Rongai water vendors cry foul as 14 donkeys slaughtered

 

By Obegi Malack.

Donkey owners in Ongata Rongai could have been rendered jobless if the rate at which their donkeys are being slaughtered at night by well organized criminals is anything to go by.

This comes after slaughtering of more than 14 donkeys in different locations in the highly populated town, the latest having been slaughtered by a river at Umoja Road.

The donkey owners, who vend water in the town, stumbled upon two carcasses abandoned at a riverbank on December 27.
The angry water vendors downed their tools and went protesting to Ongata Rongai Police Station demanding police action against the gang that has left them in untold poverty.

They accused the police of dragging their feet in stopping the menace, saying that the illegal activity has continued for long with no culprit apprehended.

The water vendors said they had suspected massive the slaughter of their donkeys on a massive scale in the festive season, due to high meat demand.
They had raised an alert on December 22 after eight donkeys went missing only to be found slaughtered in different areas of the town.

“This gang is well trained; they must be from slaughter houses, we will take the law into our own hands if police take no action, we will take it no more,” said a water vendor.
He said that the gang slaughters at least two donkeys at a go, adding that they had booming business in the festive season.

“We fear for our lives, if we keep watch at night they might kill us since they have strong knives that kill donkeys within minutes,” the donkey owner said.
Sammy Ng’anga, who has lost eight donkeys, said the gang had sent his colleagues back to village and that many have been forced to abandon their business in the area to try it somewhere else.
Ng’anga said water vending was the only source of income for him and he is now forced to pull his cart with 20 containers without a donkey.

Another water vendor, John Ndung’u, said most of them (water vendors) keep their animals in safe places but they disappear in mysterious circumstances.
Area OCPD Cyrus Ringera said that water vendors who protested to the police were ordered to appoint leaders to present their grievances. He said the water vendors have nobody to raise matters that affect them.
Ringera said that residents’ reluctance in sharing information with the police is one of the causes of the nuisance.
He said that the animals are slaughtered near heavily guarded homesteads and nobody tips the police when the suspects are on their mission.

“We urge the public to share information. Most of the incidents happen near homesteads, someone should see this and tip the police,” he said.
According to investigations by Kajiado County Press donkeys slaughtered during the festive season may surpass the 14 since many such cases go unreported since nobody has ever been arrested with the meat or in the act.
Across-section of Ongata Rongai residents we interviewed said that donkey meat is not bad; that the problem is when one is given meat he has not ordered.

“Some communities eat donkeys and they have not died, so the meat is perfect,” a resident said.
Another resident, John Kamau, said that the meat has no side effects; he said the government should legalize selling of donkey meat.
“It is immoral to give people what they have not ordered, we need to be human, the meat might be poisonous because it’s slaughtered without being inspected” said David Okinyi, a resident.

According to health experts, there is no harm in eating donkey meat; they say that the animal is herbivorous. It feeds on grass as livestock such as cows and goats. The only limitation is social and cultural beliefs about the meat.

In a recent research Botswana’s National Food Technology Research Centre (NFTRC) concluded that donkey meat was as good as fish and less susceptible to disease.

The NFTRC researchers concluded that the meat was healthier than beef and as good as fish.

#kajiado county press

Property worth millions was lost in this storey building after fire razed it down. The building housed hardware; four vehicles were also burnt in the building before arrival of firefighters three hours later. Kajiado North has no fire fighting machines.