SS Mehta & Sons
Building a reputation on Quality engineering in Kenya SS Mehta and Sons are leading the way in the civil engineering market Writer Matt Bone Project manager Arron Rampling Established in 1959, SS Mehta and Sons are one of the leading civil engineering contractors headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. They operate as the principal contractor for projects, both in the private and public sector. With an extensive client base ranging from international donor organisations, city councils, local authorities, developers and national and international airports, SS Mehta are well placed in the industry. "With over 50 years of experience in the industry, we have seasoned and dedicated staff and management that endeavour to complete our projects on time." reasons Gurmeet Mehta, one of the company Directors. The late SS Mehta, founder of the company would be very proud to know his sons and now his grandsons are following in his footsteps and becoming grounded in the ways of the company. The company has undertaken projects of varying contract values that extend up to and in excess of 10 Billion Kenyan Shillings ($120 Million). Additionally, SS Mehta and Sons has the capacity and capabilities to operate several concurrent projects simultaneously, even if sites are geographically located far apart from the next. It is the logistical and geographical awareness that makes SS Mehta such a reliable engineer, in a climate where trust and reliability have become overnight watchwords. Mehta Milestones 2013 was a milestone year for the company. They were awarded one of their largest projects to date, valued at over…
Coast Millers
Sorting the wheat from the chaff By focusing on customer service and top quality products, Coast Millers is confident it can conquer the whole of Tanzania and beyond Writer Chris Farnell Project manager James Mitchell Established in 1989, Coast Millers started off as a small family business, milling around 30-40 tonnes of wheat flour every day. However, over time this grew to 100 tonnes as demand and capacity increased. Today, Coast Millers produces and distributes 350 tonnes per day across Tanzania and neighbouring regions including Zanzibar and Pemba Island. For Rahul Aggarwal, General Manager, Business Development and Director at Coast Millers, this journey from humble beginnings to nationwide prosperity has been possible thanks to the company's focus on quality. "The key to our success is the quality of the products that we offer," he reveals. "We do not let anything leave our factory or premises until it is quality assured." This dedication to the end product has seen Coast Millers recognised by the Tanzania Bureau of Standards for distributing and manufacturing quality products. Customer Relationships and Service Delivery However, it is not just product quality that has secured Coast Millers' market position, as customer relationships also play a massive part in the company's service driven strategy. "We ensure we give a personalised service to all of our customers," notes Aggarwal. "We manage these relationships on a one-to-one basis and are always available when they need us. "We have taken a lot of time to really understand what our clients require, whether it is a bakery, biscuit…
Mobus Property Holdings
Moving up the ladder Mobus Property Developments CEO Richard Jonah talks about the company plans to combat the housing deficit, and their award winning developments across Ghana Writer Emily Jarvis Project manager Arron Rampling Mobus Property Developments is a property development firm founded in 2010 by the current CEO Richard Kojo Jonah. It is a privately owned company, mainly focused on commercial property development, offices and retail centres. On an opportunistic basis the company has also embarked on a number of residential developments aimed at the middle to upper market segment. Richard Jonah, spoke to Africa Outlook about some of the company's challenges and the need for residential housing in Ghana given increasing urbanization. Biggest Challenge Like most property developers in Sub- Saharan Africa, Jonah outlined that it is access to long term capital that is the company's biggest challenge: "Property development is a long term game, therefore it helps if you can secure cheaper sources of long term capital," which Mr Jonah adds is quite difficult to do in local markets given the volatility of currency and the limited balance sheets of many local banks. Jonah's second challenge when assessing various opportunities is to do with land tenure. "Most lands in Ghana are privately owned as opposed to owned by the Government. One of the biggest issues our local courts have to deal with issues of land litigation, tenure and the subsequent fighting over land title. Being able to secure a good piece of land with a clean title and with no claims can prove…
Kenafric Industries
Taking a bite out of the competition Employing over 1500 people and touching the lives of more than 75000 customers Writer Rebecca Wigmore Project manager James Mitchell Candy, shoes, stationery....try as you might, it's impossible to pin a manufacturing company like Kenafric Industries down. Founded in 1988, Kenafric started life solely as a footwear manufacturer but soon diversified into food, confectionary and school exercise books. Indeed, such is the company's growth that it now distributes its product lines to 14 African countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania and Sudan. as millions of Africans know, whether you're seasoning with oyo Chicken mchuzi, relaxing in your Chappa Dollar flip-fl ops or buying a fresh stack of Super Star notebooks, you're buying into a little of what makes Kenafric Industries so unique. Despite Kenafric's focus on diversification, the core of its business lies in footwear and confectionary. With an infrastructure that processes over 36,000 tonnes of sugar a year, Kenafric is the largest African sweet manufacturer and in October 2012 it launched a Kshs 1 billion confectionary machine, commissioned by Henry Kosgei, the Kenyan Minister for Industrialisation. With the increased production capability afforded by the new equipment, it's clear that Kenafric is focused on increasing its markets, although the company has exhibited a firm commitment to its roots. In a characteristic move, company vice chairman Bharat Shah told reporters that the firm planned to invest up to KSh 4billion in the region over the next two years. A child of Indian immigrants who moved to Kenya…
Pareto
Shop 'til you drop Pareto has developed and nurtured a reputation for being the go-to investor in South Africa's blue chip malls Writer Matt Bone Project manager Arron Rampling Since its formation in 1998, Pareto have quickly grown to become one of the most highly respected property loan stock companies in South Africa. Their strong focus on acquiring and enhancing super-regional and regional shopping centres in South Africa, as well as mixed developments, has seen their market cap rise. Marius Muller, CEO of Pareto said: "We own and invest in shopping centres and ensure that the buildings are everything that a customer and a rental business could need, we pride ourselves on this level of service." Muller has been with the company for four years, and has watched a constantly changing and volatile market rise and fall every day, "The market is ever changing, if your tenants cannot pay the rent due to rising costs and lack of company growth, then you are left with a problem as an investor. Companies have to re-evaluate their needs and wants. I have seen many companies reinvent themselves to become bigger and more successful because they looked inwardly and saw where they could grow." This mentality of inward focus has played a major role in the restructuring of Pareto. As of 1st April 2014, the company will internally manage all of its 100% owned assets: "This has been a big positive step for us. We anticipate that our property values will rise countrywide due to us being able to…
Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital
Gertie's new adventure The devoted CEO of Gertrude's Children's Hospital talks about how they put patients at the forefront of what they do. Writer Emily Jarvis Project manager Eddie Clinton Gertrude's Children's Hospital was founded in 1947, with the donation of land by Colonel Ewart Grogan, pioneer extraordinaire, in memory of his beloved wife, Gertrude Edith. Now fronted by CEO Gordon Odundo, the hospital continues to expand its services. As the years have passed, Gertrude's Children's Hospital has become more and more of a 'giving' hospital. it has won prestigious awards for its Corporate social responsibility (CSR). Gertrude's from the beginning was and will always be a simple hospital: it now has completed the full circle by becoming a place of hope for sick children who have no expectations elsewhere. Mr Odundo explains: "People all over the world find it difficult to find a model that can sustain children's health because children are dependent on adults to pay for their upkeep, they don't have an income, so the health system doesn't readily support children's hospitals as financial and viable projects." Gertrude's use reliable local suppliers from Kenya of the all important hospital equipment, who deal with reputable brands, as Odundo justifies: "By using suppliers that have the distributorship and the sole rights to their equipment and medicines, we are able to find maintenance contracts and equipment to ensure our supplies will be on time. We avoid difficulties with passing things through the port, meaning our items are delivered to us on site accordingly." The Benefits of…
Filcon Projects
Building for the future South Africa's phoenix in the construction industry Writer Matt Bone Project manager James Mitchell Filcon Projects is a construction and engineering firm based in South Africa, who implement passionate ideas and excellence through a team of driven professionals who have acquired invaluable experience and skills over many years in the business. It was only three years ago that the company was on the brink of failure. Uncertainty and market forces had pushed the company to the edge and it was only Saul Loggenberg, the new Executive Chairman, whose timely intervention and recapitalisation program, turned the company around and set it on the path to becoming the force it is today. A new democratic management system, an emphasis on hiring the best staff, and a heavy emphasis on training and development has made the company a very different place to work. Progression Mr Loggenberg mentions that although the company is now on more solid foundation, it will still be a while before it is where he wants it to be: "We continue to transform and implement new strategies in order to make Filcon the type of company that we want it to be. It will be at least another 2-3 years before I feel we are near that stage." Moving into its 18th year, the company has expanded into all sectors of construction, including residential, commercial and industrial projects. Filcon is also growing geographically with plans to move beyond the borders of South Africa into the sub- Saharan region of Africa as well…
SEMS Exploration
Passion and Profession in the Mining IndustrySimon Meadows-Smith shares his knowledge of the mining industry and passion for his business in Ghana. Writer Rebecca Wigmore Project manager James Mitchell Managing Director and geologist Simon Meadows-Smith has been running SEMS Exploration in Ghana for over 15 years and his passion for his business and the African landscape is clear. Africa is renowned for the rich bounty of geological resources contained within its soil and despite a general recent downturn in the fortunes of the African mining industry, it has an irresistible draw for those that want to invest in precious metals. Meadows-Smith has a long history of specialisation within his adopted country, as he explains: "I came to Ghana in the mid 1990s and stayed for a couple of years as a contract geologist. I then went to work in Australia and decided to come back to Ghana and start a small exploration company with Australian funding. Off the back of that, we found a gold mine and sold it. In 2000 when the Gulf crisis hit – I chose to stay on in Ghana and converted my company into a consultancy and that's how we've been operating since 2001." A lot of what makes SEMS Exploration unique is that it operates under a shared risk model which allows investors a level of support and security, afforded by SEMS' professional and regional expertise. Meadows-Smith explains: "A lot of investors from around the world are not particularly familiar with working in Africa, particularly West Africa. They don't fully…
Roko Construction
From the ground up Family-run ROKO Construction is at the forefront of business developments across the East of Africa, looking to expand into new markets Writer Emily Jarvis Project manager Arron Rampling With the effects of the recession still being felt across Africa, none more so than in the construction industry, rising costs, stronger regulations many companies are keeping a close eye on the bottom line. UK losses three years ago had a ripple effect on construction projects, but ROKO has groomed into a self sufficient company in the majority of construction disciplines and provides employment for an average of 1,800 people, placing great emphasis on training its technicians and craftsmen to produce an exceptionally high standard of workmanship. Materials are produced locally and from the Preferential Trade Area wherever possible, and imports are facilitated by ROKO's association with the SAI Trading Company in Europe. Boasting of a legacy spanning forty five years in the construction arena, ROKO has from inception, nurtured the brand into one of exceptional construction benchmarked on the quality of their works that speaks for itself. The co founders, Rohrer and Koehler, with a vision to set up in Africa and use Uganda as the spring board for further growth, proceeded to register ROKO in 1969. ROKO Construction Limited, as it is known now has become a household name synonymous with quality in construction with branches in Rwanda and south Sudan. For efficiency and timely delivery, materials are manufactured locally and from the PTA area where ever possible. Mark Koehler, Managing Director…
African Minerals
Ore inspiring Africa Outlook takes a closer look at iron ore miner African Minerals Ltd's flagship Tonkolili mine in Sierra Leone Writer Emily Jarvis Project manager Ben Weaver Ore owners have described West Africa as the new frontier and the quest for its iron-ore resources has driven a railway and mining boom worth an estimated $25 billion. So many discoveries have been made in the region that it has been described as the new Pilbara, after the massive iron ore fields in Western Australia. AIM-listed African Minerals Ltd's (AML) Tonkolili mine in the Sula Mountain range in Sierra Leone sits on top of one of West Africa's largest iron ore deposits. The firm, founded by entrepreneur Frank Timis as Sierra Leone Diamond Company, spent seven years exploring the deposit before confirming the presence of a world-class magnetite iron ore deposit in 2009. The London based company signed a 99-year lease with the government of Sierra Leone to rehabilitate the 74km 1067mmgauge railway from the port of Pepel to the old mine at Marampa and build a 126km extension to a new iron-ore mine at Tonkolili. It began production just 14 months after the mining permit was issued and the fi rst ore trains ran in November 2011. The second phase "will entail the development of a new purpose built port at Tagrin Point. The new port will have the ability to load Cape Size vessels alongside the quay and avoid the costs of using transhipment vessels. At the mine a new major concentrator will be built,…
