Davis & Shirtliff, the leading water and power gear provider in East Africa is celebrating its 75th Anniversary, a serious milestone in its company history. This is a most uncommon achievement for any organisation, though especially one which has the same family shareholding and basically the same market focus since its founding. There are few corporations wherever with this claim and D&S is therefore extraordinarily happy with the achievement with varied events being held in celebration.
The firm was based in 1946 by ex-soldiers Eddie Davis and Dick Shirtliff after leaving the military, initially being based at Westlands, in Nairobi, their neighbour being Westlands Motors that rose to prominence with the Toyota franchise.
It grew quickly because the country recovered after the war focusing on boreholes, water provides and the espresso business. One notable early venture included the water provide for Karen Estates, the entire initial water supply infrastructure being installed by the corporate as well as for many other of the residential estates that were developed at that time.
pressure gauge ยี่ห้อ tk &S grew with the country and within the mid-1950s the base was moved to new bigger premises at this time Dundori Rd location in the industrial area. An added activity was swimming swimming pools, each residential and business and many were constructed which may be still in use today. Water Treatment was another diversification, many of the KenGen Tana River stations having D&S designed and constructed equipment.
In 1970 partner Dick Shirtliff retired and after a interval with another associate, Devji Shingadia, the Davis family, then represented by Eddie’s son Alec assumed control. The 70’s and 80’s saw gradual however steady growth as the country grappled with varied financial and political challenges, though there was a specific focus on constructing the pump enterprise for which the company is so well known, notably via illustration of the Danish manufacturer Grundfos.
1993 was a major yr for each Kenya and D&S as a end result of economic liberalisation which was the catalyst for the company’s speedy development since. It was additionally the year that Pedrollo pumps from Italy had been first launched, now the Group’s largest supplier. These two developments enabled a distribution technique to be developed as provide constraints were removed and the department network was then established, initially with Kenya branches being opened in Westlands, Eldoret and Kisumu and subsidiaries in Uganda and Tanzania quickly followed by establishing actions at the Coast although the merger with partner Butech. The pump enterprise grew massively with Pedrollo and the now well-established Solar and Power Generation activities had been then added.
Since the Millennium progress has greatly accelerated, income increasing many times to KShs10 Billion at present. Major initiatives have included an entire redevelopment of the Dundori Rd web site with growth into adjacent plots, the opening of subsidiaries and associate firms in Rwanda, Zambia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Zimbabwe and DRC, appreciable growth of the department community, introduction of the profitable Dayliff range of own-brand merchandise and a huge enlargement of the product range with Solar being particularly profitable as the company developed its give consideration to renewable vitality. More lately a significant improvement has been institution of a large 10,000m2 Distribution Centre at Tatu City that provides the useful resource for elevated stockholding and has reworked distribution effectivity throughout the region, this facility being accomplished in 2020. Staffing has additionally grown correspondingly, the Group now using over a thousand committed staff working from over 70 locations.
It is usually stated that success is transitory and typically unsustainable, though D&S has managed to hold up unbroken progress for an distinctive time frame. This has been achieved by business focus, manageable ambition, continuous physical and organisational investment and, importantly, dwelling the values established by the founders of Quality, Integrity and ‘Altiora Peto’, which translates to embracing continuous change. D&S is now a widely recognised firm within the region and is pleased with the contribution it has made, summarised by its slogan ‘Improving Lives’ which is demonstrated both by the important nature of its activities and likewise by an lively programme of neighborhood support that focuses on providing water to underprivileged communities, many hundreds of people having benefited.
Of course, the 75-year milestone is just a moment in a continuous journey and the Group continues to develop with a selection of ongoing initiatives and nice plans for the future. Ably led by CEO David Gatende and supported by dedicated and dedicated executives and workers driving this progress, the company is fortunate that the third era of Davis’s, Edward and Henry, have joined the enterprise so continuity is assured. The Group continues to expand in product and markets with a selected give attention to digital business and looks forward to keep serving the region with important merchandise that definitely Improve Lives and likewise to demonstrate that an indigenous African company can compete internationally and be a world-class organisation.
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