• The firm seeks to increase production of livestock nutritional supplements
• The new factory has the capacity to produce two tonnes per hour of products
Image: /John Kamau
Cooper K-Brands Ltd has opened a Sh700 million livestock supplements plant in Tatu City, Ruiru.
The giant manufacturer and distributor of livestock and crop protection products and solutions seeks to increase production of livestock nutritional supplements.
Managing director Muchai Kunyiha said that the new factory has the capacity to produce two tonnes per hour of products.
He spoke during the opening of the plant in Ruiru on Wednesday.
“This is a great milestone for us as CKL and a key step towards achieving our corporate goal of making our country and the entire Africa leading food producers. We also endeavour to promote manufacturing and create jobs as envisaged in the government’s Big Four agenda," Kunyiha said.
He said the project was funded through external borrowing from the German-based Africa Agriculture and Trade Investment (AATIF) and internal reserves.
The plant is built on 5.7 acres. The factory has an automated Buhler (Switzerland) plant fitted into a 36.5m tower.
The MD said the state-of-the-art plant has been fitted with a 200-kilowatt Photo Voltaic rooftop system that will provide 50 per cent of energy required during the day. He said the factory has a 541 kWh power requirement.
“We believe in using clean energy in our production and that’s why we invested on PV rooftop that will go a long way in cutting our power expenses," Muchai said.
CKL also unveiled a new-look packaging for its flagship brand, Maclik. Muchai said the move was aimed at boosting customers’ confidence on the firm’s products.
“This new initiative is aimed at meeting the nutritional and production needs of livestock farmers in Kenya and within the region. We have expanded our capacity to manufacture and improve Maclik and other nutritional supplements,” he said.
Dr Thomas Duve, the director, AATIF Regional Funds said they are willing to fund good investment opportunities in the country.
Duve said AATIF will extend a loan facility of $4 million to finance the establishment of new CKL offices and a new plant.
“We are confident that what we fund is going to be of impact to the lives of small-scale farmers and that is why we are in the business,” he said.
The company also plans to relocate its manufacturing plants from its main offices in Loresho, Nairobi to Tatu City in Kiambu county.
Meanwhile, Muchai who’s also the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) vice chairman, praised the government for initiating war on counterfeits.
He said the government has stabilised the manufacturing sector, which has in turn created more jobs for Kenyans.