New tiles take man’s earnings through the roof
He has a long history in construction works but nothing in his mind provides more beauty, attraction and décor to housing than well designed quality roofs.
He learnt the basic lessons early in his life since his father was a truss fabricator employed by a colonial expert in civil engineering.
To test his budding skills, he would use metal sheet off-cuts from his father’s store and craft them into funny but attractive shapes and sizes and use them to roof small structures in the compound.
Mr Mburu Muigai is probably one of the first Kenyans to start up a manufacturing company in China - Tiger African Roof Company - based in Beijing.
He partnered early this year with a Chinese developer Sunny Hany, who is also credited with helping turn around real estate growth in Beijing.
He learned of the new roof technology which involves coating metal tiles with stones granules in South Africa about 15 years ago and consequently introduced it locally in real estate.
How did you penetrate into real estate development and particularly new roofing technology?
My father really inspired me to enter into construction industry as he was a truss fabricator. I felt my career lied in what he was doing and am actually the first African to introduce stone coated metal roofs outside South Africa.
Does it reward to invest in roofing?
It’s quite rewarding. I feel very proud when I move around the country and enjoy watching panoramic sites created by beautiful stone coated roofs I introduced.
How do you deal with competition?
I am a strong believer in healthy competition where all players conform to standards set by government agencies and international bodies.
What are your marketing plans?
The most effective marketing plan is to ensure your customers are satisfied. This results in a trickle down effect whereby they will introduce their friends to you and the trend continues.
What are your prices?
The price ranges between Sh580 and Sh900 apiece depending on the design and size of the tile and the thickness of the base metal.
Are you a spender or a saver?
I am a little of both. I do not hesitate to spend on quality but to get anywhere in life you must also learn to be frugal, therefore I tend to do a lot of saving for future investments and for emergencies.
I also spend a lot on research, travelling and training. I have a great team and trained over 900 local experts on installation.
I have converted architects and civil engineers into marketers of construction materials. Many of the people I have trained are very successful wherever they are.
What has it taken to be where you are?
Hard work, focus and determination. Success is determined by the choices you make on a day to day basis. My success has also depended a lot on support from architects, engineers and quantity surveyors.
Which lessons have you learnt from the serious venture?
In life you have to take risks. If don’t, you don’t grow. One must learn to once in a while attempt things that are beyond their capacity.
Which challenges are you facing?
The biggest challenge has been to train those averse to change. A new technology takes time before it is accepted in the market.
In my previous company, I had to take a team of architects, developers and contractors to the factory in South Africa to see the production process and convince them of the benefit of the product.
Many people believed that it was not possible to engrave natural stone granules onto metal.
Another challenge was getting my product approved by Kenya Bureau of Standards because they had no standards or parameters by which to measure quality of the product.
Which area or factor gives you an edge over the other competitors?
As the pioneer of this product, my experience speaks for itself. Having the experience of working in the factory in South Africa ensures that I know what I’m informed and savvy than other distributors.
Any big future plan?
The Tiger tile will ultimately be the global standard of quality in the metal roofing industry.
