Davis and Shirtliff to manufacture its water treatment units

By Eric Akasa

In a move that paves the way for local companies, Davis and Shirtliff, the water and alternative energy equipment supplier, has started manufacturing its own brand of medium size reverse osmosis water treatment units, slashing the equipment's price by 60 per cent and opening up new jobs in producing the key water treatment technology for the country.

Reverse Osmosis is proven technology that removes dissolved solids from water when passed through a semi permeable membrane.

“We have imported reverse osmosis units for many years, but the rising costs of importation have seen us now embrace local manufacturing,” said Mr. David Gatende, Deputy CEO, Davis and Shirtliff Group.

A locally manufactured Dayliff reverse osmosis unit with a capacity of 1,000litres per hour costs from KShs550,000/-, depending on the water quality, which represents a 60 per cent saving compared with the imported alternative.

“Kenya's Vision 2030 aims to transform local manufacturing into 'a robust diversified and competitive sector' and this can be easily achieved by seeking to manufacture locally and minimising imports.” said Mr. Gatende.

Davis & Shirtliff, a locally founded multinational company, purchased and converted expanded premises in Industrial area for the local manufacturing, at a time when data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics shows some acceleration in the positive growth of the manufacturing sector - from marginal growth of 1.3 per cent in 2009, to 4.4 per cent in 2010 and 3.3 per cent in 2011.

“Manufacturing contributes 14 per cent in GDP and exports from the sector continues to grow, albeit at a slow pace, on the diversifying from a reliance on European markets, as new markets opens up for Kenya products in other African states,” notes Ms. Betty Maina, CEO Kenya Association of Manufacturers.

Ms. Maina observes that reduced imports also lead to the appreciation of the local currency due to the subsequent low demand for foreign currency and more jobs created on the local market.

“By manufacturing Dayliff reverse osmosis units, we have reduced the retail price and lead times involved in importation and made the product readily available.” said Mr. Philip Holi, Technical Director, Davis and Shirtliff.

Property developers, office blocks, health clinics, cafeterias and other institutions, such as schools, have been early consumers of the Dayliff RO units, with some indicating over 90 per cent in cost-savings when compared to buying bottled water.

Reverse Osmosis is only one of Davis and Shirtliff's range of water treatment solutions, others including sediment removal, bacteria removal, odour and chemical removal, ultraviolet treatment units, water softener and others.

“In rural areas and other places without electricity, to provide safe drinking water we offer simple in-line chlorine tablet dispensers which are cheap to install and simple to operate. We also have 5 gm Water Maker sachets that treat up to 20 litres of water to drinking standard” said Mr Holi.

All sizes from 50l per day to large institutional units are available, the large units being imported from partner GE Water. Starting prices for domestic Dayliff reverse osmosis plants begin at KShs25, 000/- and commercial units with flow rates of up to 20,000 litres per hour are also available.

Davis and Shirtliff Limited is a Kenyan multinational, operating through a network of Kenyan branches and regional subsidiaries in Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Rwanda and Ethiopia. Founded in Kenya in 1946, it is the leading supplier of water related and alternative energy equipment in East Africa.