Davis & Shirtliff, the leading water and vitality tools supplier in East Africa is celebrating its 75th Anniversary, a serious milestone in its company history. This is a most uncommon achievement for any organisation, although especially one which has the same family shareholding and essentially the same market focus since its founding. There are few companies wherever with this declare and D&S is subsequently extraordinarily happy with the achievement with numerous occasions being held in celebration.
The company 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 quickly because the country recovered after the war focusing on boreholes, water provides and the espresso trade. One notable early project included the water supply for Karen Estates, the entire initial water supply infrastructure being put in by the company in addition to for many other of the residential estates that were developed at the moment.
D&S grew with the nation and in the mid-1950s the bottom was moved to new bigger premises at the moment Dundori Rd location within the industrial area. An added exercise was swimming swimming pools, both residential and industrial and lots of had been built which may be nonetheless in use at present. Water Treatment was another diversification, most of the KenGen Tana River stations having D&S designed and built tools.
In 1970 partner Dick Shirtliff retired and after a interval with one other associate, Devji Shingadia, the Davis family, then represented by Eddie’s son Alec assumed management. The 70’s and 80’s noticed slow but steady growth as the nation grappled with numerous economic and political challenges, though there was a selected concentrate on constructing the pump enterprise for which the corporate is so well-known, notably by way of illustration of the Danish producer Grundfos.
1993 was a big yr for both Kenya and D&S due to economic liberalisation which was the catalyst for the company’s fast growth since. It was additionally the year that Pedrollo pumps from Italy were first introduced, now the Group’s largest supplier. เกจวัดแก๊สlpg enabled a distribution technique to be developed as supply constraints have been removed and the branch community was then established, initially with Kenya branches being opened in Westlands, Eldoret and Kisumu and subsidiaries in Uganda and Tanzania quickly adopted by establishing actions on the Coast though the merger with associate Butech. The pump business grew massively with Pedrollo and the now well-established Solar and Power Generation activities had been then added.
Since the Millennium growth has greatly accelerated, revenue increasing many times to KShs10 Billion at present. Major initiatives have included an entire redevelopment of the Dundori Rd site with expansion into adjoining plots, the opening of subsidiaries and associate firms in Rwanda, Zambia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Zimbabwe and DRC, appreciable progress of the department community, introduction of the profitable Dayliff range of own-brand merchandise and a huge growth of the product range with Solar being especially successful as the corporate developed its give consideration to renewable power. More lately a major growth has been establishment of an enormous 10,000m2 Distribution Centre at Tatu City that gives the useful resource for increased stockholding and has transformed distribution efficiency all through the area, this facility being completed in 2020. Staffing has also grown correspondingly, the Group now using over 1000 dedicated staff working from over 70 locations.
It is often stated that success is transitory and generally unsustainable, though D&S has managed to take care of unbroken progress for an distinctive period of time. This has been achieved by commercial focus, manageable ambition, steady bodily and organisational funding and, importantly, living the values established by the founders of Quality, Integrity and ‘Altiora Peto’, which interprets to embracing continuous change. D&S is now a widely recognised company within the area 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 activities and in addition by an energetic programme of group help that focuses on providing water to underprivileged communities, many thousands of individuals having benefited.
Of course, the 75-year milestone is just a second in a steady journey and the Group continues to develop with a selection of ongoing initiatives and great plans for the future. Ably led by CEO David Gatende and supported by devoted and dedicated executives and employees driving this development, the company is lucky that the third generation of Davis’s, Edward and Henry, have joined the enterprise so continuity is assured. The Group continues to increase in product and markets with a selected focus on digital business and looks forward to maintain serving the area with essential merchandise that actually Improve Lives and in addition to demonstrate that an indigenous African firm can compete internationally and be a world-class organisation.
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