German cleaning equipment manufacturer Karcher has announced a Ksh. 428 million (€3 million) investment in the Kenyan market.
The move was made to operationalize the business into a full subsidiary, which includes a regional distribution centre at Freight Forwarders Solutions (FFS) in Tatu City.
Stephen Jennings, Founder & CEO of Rendeavour, the owner and developer of Tatu City, added, “Karcher joins the ranks of many leading global brands at Tatu City SEZ. As Kenya’s first mixed-used SEZ, Tatu City has already attracted USD 2.5 billion in investment from more than 78 businesses, from healthcare and food and beverage production to call centres, software engineering, and now cleaning solutions. These investments are creating many thousands of much-needed jobs for Kenyans.”
The company that provides warehouse operations for Karcher in Kenya, FFS, has an international-standard logistics and distribution hub in Tatu Industrial Park. FFS provides inbound cargo, freight, and transport services across East and Central Africa. It has a 14,000 m2 warehouse complex, equivalent to the size of some of Nairobi’s larger shopping malls, at Africa Logistics Properties (ALP), in Tatu City.
L-R: Axel Stolz, Regional President, Africa & India, Karcher; Richard Mumo, Managing Director Kenya & General Manager, East Africa, Karcher; Christian May, Deputy Chief Executive Officer & Chief Sales Officer, Karcher; Mr. Sebastian Groth, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Kenya; and Joseph Nguyo, Senior Deputy Secretary, State Department for Investment Promotion during the official launch of Karcher’s local warehouse operations at Tatu City.
FFS CEO Ben Clay said, “As we launch warehouse operations for Karcher in the Kenyan market, we are committed to empowering businesses with seamless logistics solutions, leveraging technology, and fostering excellence in service delivery and economic growth.”
“Karcher’s investment in Kenya highlights the strong economic ties between Germany and Kenya. As a global leader in cleaning technology, Karcher exemplifies German engineering excellence and innovation. We look forward to further collaboration and mutual growth between our two nations,” said Sebastian Groth, Ambassador of the Republic of Germany to Kenya.
Karcher has established a presence in seven Carrefour outlets and partnered with various distributors to cater to different customer segments. Its flagship store, located in Upper Hill, Nairobi, serves as a brand store and service centre operated by Equipment and Logistics Limited, which was recently presented with a twenty-year partnership award.