German manufacturer Karcher taps into Kenyan market
From left: Axel Stolz (Karcher Regional President, Africa & India), Richard Mumo (Karcher East Africa GM), Christian May (Karcher Chief Sales Officer), Sebastian Groth (German Ambassador 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.
What you need to know:
- Karcher manufactures cleaning products such as high-pressure cleaners.
- The multinational manufacturer’s flagship store is located at UpperHill, Nairobi.
German-based cleaning equipment manufacturer Karcher has announced that it will be investing approximately € 3 million (Sh425.5 million at the current exchange rate) in the Kenyan market, as it seeks to expand its footprint across the region.
The investment will operationalise the business into a full subsidiary, including a regional distribution center at the Freight Forwarders Solutions warehouse, Tatu City.
“By establishing Kenya as our regional hub, we are reducing lead times and enhancing responsiveness, ensuring prompt service delivery for our clients," said Christian May, Deputy CEO and Chief Sales Officer at Karcher.
The regional distribution center is expected to reduce waiting times for Karcher’s partners in Kenya from the 90 days, which is the time it has been taking to ship products from Germany to Kenya.
Regional distribution center
It will hold high-value levels of stock to cater to different customers. Karcher will continue to bear the costs of shipment, freight, duties and taxes.
“We have seen the impact of external factors such as the Red Sea crisis and through our regional distribution center we can brace the impact of these external shocks for our partners and customers,” said Richard Mumo Thyaka, Karcher Managing Director, Kenya.
The B2B and B2C global brand, known for its high-pressure cleaners, floor care equipment, parts cleaning systems, wash water treatment, military decontamination equipment and window vacuum cleaners, has currently established a presence in seven Carrefour outlets.
It has its flagship store located in Upper Hill that serves as a brand store and service center operated by Equipment and Logistics Limited who were recently presented with a twenty-year partnership award.
It has also partnered with various distributors and logistics companies including Freight Forwarders Solutions, to cater to different customer segments.
Strong economic ties
“As we launch warehouse operations for Karcher in the Kenyan market, FFS is committed to empowering businesses with seamless logistics solutions, leveraging technology, and fostering excellence in service delivery and economic growth,” said Ben Clay, CEO Freight Forwarders Solutions.
Sebastian Groth, Ambassador of the Republic of Germany to Kenya, acknowledged Karcher's investment in Kenya as a testament to the strong economic ties between the two countries.
“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 Groth.
Meanwhile, Joseph Nguyo, Senior Deputy Secretary, State Department for Investment Promotion, welcomed other investors to follow Karcher’s footsteps and tap into the special economic zones, which have incentives that guarantee returns on investment.
“The government recognises this move as an investment in value chains, employment created and we are committed to making the economic environment good for you and other investors,” said Nguyo.
