Davis & Shirtliff, the main water and vitality gear provider in East Africa is celebrating its seventy fifth Anniversary, a serious milestone in its company history. This is a most uncommon achievement for any organisation, though especially one that has the same household shareholding and primarily the same market focus since its founding. There are few companies wherever with this claim and D&S is due to this fact extremely proud of the achievement with various events being held in celebration.
The firm was founded 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 as the nation recovered after the warfare specializing in boreholes, water provides and the espresso industry. One notable early project included the water supply for Karen Estates, the entire initial water provide infrastructure being put in by the company as well as for lots of different of the residential estates that were developed at the moment.
D&S grew with the nation and in the mid-1950s the base was moved to new larger premises at this time Dundori Rd location in the industrial space. An added activity was swimming swimming pools, each residential and business and tons of were constructed that are nonetheless in use at present. Water Treatment was another diversification, many of the KenGen Tana River stations having D&S designed and built equipment.
In 1970 partner Dick Shirtliff retired and after a period with one other companion, Devji Shingadia, the Davis family, then represented by Eddie’s son Alec assumed management. The 70’s and 80’s noticed sluggish but regular development because the country grappled with varied financial and political challenges, though there was a particular give consideration to constructing the pump business for which the corporate is so well known, notably via illustration of the Danish producer Grundfos.
1993 was a significant year for both Kenya and D&S as a result of economic liberalisation which was the catalyst for the company’s speedy development since. It was also the 12 months that Pedrollo pumps from Italy have been first launched, now the Group’s largest supplier. These two developments enabled a distribution technique to be developed as provide constraints have been removed 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 followed by establishing actions on the Coast though the merger with companion Butech. The pump business grew vastly with Pedrollo and the now well-established Solar and Power Generation activities had been then added.
Since the Millennium growth has greatly accelerated, revenue growing many times to KShs10 Billion right now. Major initiatives have included a whole redevelopment of the Dundori Rd site with growth into adjacent plots, the opening of subsidiaries and affiliate firms in Rwanda, Zambia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Zimbabwe and DRC, considerable progress of the branch community, introduction of the profitable Dayliff range of own-brand merchandise and a huge growth of the product range with Solar being particularly profitable as the company developed its concentrate on renewable power. More just lately a major improvement has been institution of a massive 10,000m2 Distribution Centre at Tatu City that provides the resource for elevated stockholding and has transformed distribution effectivity all through the area, this facility being accomplished in 2020. เกจแรงดันน้ำ has also grown correspondingly, the Group now employing over one thousand committed employees operating from over 70 locations.
It is commonly mentioned that success is transitory and typically unsustainable, although D&S has managed to hold up unbroken development for an distinctive time period. This has been achieved by business focus, manageable ambition, continuous physical and organisational investment and, importantly, residing 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 company within the region and is happy with the contribution it has made, summarised by its slogan ‘Improving Lives’ which is demonstrated both by the important nature of its actions and likewise by an energetic programme of community assist that focuses on offering water to underprivileged communities, many hundreds of people having benefited.
Of course, the 75-year milestone is just a second in a steady journey and the Group continues to develop with numerous ongoing initiatives and great plans for the lengthy run. Ably led by CEO David Gatende and supported by dedicated and committed executives and staff driving this growth, 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 particular focus on digital enterprise and appears forward to keep serving the region with important merchandise that certainly Improve Lives and also to show that an indigenous African company can compete internationally and be a world-class organisation.
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