Davis & Shirtliff, the main water and power tools provider in East Africa is celebrating its seventy fifth Anniversary, a significant milestone in its corporate historical past. This is a most unusual achievement for any organisation, though particularly one that has the same household shareholding and primarily the same market focus since its founding. There are few companies anywhere with this declare and D&S is due to this fact extraordinarily pleased with the achievement with various occasions being held in celebration.
The firm was founded 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 nation recovered after the warfare focusing on boreholes, water provides and the coffee business. One notable early challenge included the water supply for Karen Estates, the whole preliminary water provide infrastructure being installed by the company in addition to for many other of the residential estates that have been developed at the moment.
D&S grew with the nation and in the mid-1950s the bottom was moved to new larger premises at the present Dundori Rd location within the industrial space. An added activity was swimming swimming pools, both residential and commercial and plenty of have been built which may be nonetheless in use at present. Water Treatment was one other diversification, many of the KenGen Tana River stations having D&S designed and constructed gear.
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 saw gradual however regular progress because the nation grappled with various economic and political challenges, although there was a selected concentrate on building the pump business for which the corporate is so well known, notably through illustration of the Danish manufacturer Grundfos.
1993 was a significant yr for both Kenya and D&S due to financial liberalisation which was the catalyst for the company’s speedy growth since. It was additionally the year that Pedrollo pumps from Italy were first introduced, now the Group’s largest provider. diaphragm seal enabled a distribution strategy to be developed as supply constraints were eliminated and the branch network was then established, initially with Kenya branches being opened in Westlands, Eldoret and Kisumu and subsidiaries in Uganda and Tanzania soon adopted by establishing activities at the Coast although the merger with companion Butech. The pump business grew hugely with Pedrollo and the now well-established Solar and Power Generation actions had been then added.
Since the Millennium growth has significantly accelerated, revenue increasing many occasions to KShs10 Billion right now. Major initiatives have included a complete redevelopment of the Dundori Rd web site with growth into adjoining plots, the opening of subsidiaries and affiliate firms in Rwanda, Zambia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Zimbabwe and DRC, considerable growth of the department network, introduction of the successful Dayliff range of own-brand merchandise and a huge expansion of the product vary with Solar being especially successful as the company developed its give consideration to renewable vitality. More just lately a significant development has been establishment of a large 10,000m2 Distribution Centre at Tatu City that gives the useful resource for elevated stockholding and has remodeled distribution efficiency throughout the region, this facility being completed in 2020. Staffing has additionally grown correspondingly, the Group now using over one thousand dedicated workers working from over 70 areas.
It is usually said that success is transitory and generally unsustainable, though D&S has managed to maintain up unbroken growth for an distinctive period of time. This has been achieved by industrial focus, manageable ambition, steady bodily and organisational investment and, importantly, dwelling the values established by the founders of Quality, Integrity and ‘Altiora Peto’, which translates to embracing steady change. D&S is now a widely recognised firm in 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 actions and in addition by an energetic programme of community help that focuses on offering water to underprivileged communities, many hundreds of individuals having benefited.
Of course, the 75-year milestone is only a second in a steady journey and the Group continues to grow with a quantity of ongoing initiatives and great plans for the future. Ably led by CEO David Gatende and supported by devoted and committed executives and workers driving this growth, the company is fortunate that the third generation of Davis’s, Edward and Henry, have joined the business so continuity is assured. The Group continues to increase in product and markets with a selected concentrate on digital enterprise and looks ahead to maintain serving the region with essential merchandise that actually Improve Lives and in addition to reveal that an indigenous African company can compete internationally and be a world-class organisation.
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