THE STANDARD
ENTERPRISE
Sachen Gudka. [Courtesy]
His career began as a chartered accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers in London. Sachen Gudka would then move back to Kenya in 1995 when his family acquired The Rodwell Press Limited in Mombasa.
He would help run the business which would lead to them opening another plant in Nairobi in 2000. In 2005, the business would merge with one of India’s largest labels company; the Interlabels.
This joint venture would then be acquired by a Norwegian multinational labels company called Skanem, which would rebrand to Skanem Interlabels Nairobi.
Through several mergers and joint ventures, the family controls a large market share in offset and digital printing, packaging and the manufacture of thermal transfer ribbons in Kenya.
Low financing slowing Kenya s international trade – report by MARTIN MWITA Image: GEORGE OWITI
•Kenya barely serves 23% of the potential under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) which expires in 2025.
•Experts call for SMEs support including a revolving fund.
Local banks failure to fully embrace trade financing is hindering growth of Kenya, regional exports to international markets, experts now say.
This comes even as the country continues to push for trade deals, among them the recently concluded Economic Partnership Agreement(EPA) with the UK, and the ongoing talks for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US.
While the country is seeking to grow its exports to the United States, it barely serves 23 per cent of the potential under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) which expires in 2025, which eliminates import tariffs on goods from eligible African nations.
On 1
st April the ILO reported that Uma Rani, Senior Economist at the ILO and author of the World Employment and Social Outlook report 2021, was explaining the need for dialogue and regulatory cooperation in order to provide decent work opportunities in the sector.
The ILO reported on 9
th April, that in partnership with the East African Institute of Welding (EAIW) and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), a dual learning industrial welding training programme with low barriers to entry and deliberately targeting female youth and persons with disabilities had been developed and is currently being implemented in Turkana and Garissa Counties, Kenya.
THE STANDARD
FINANCIAL STANDARD
Rajul Malde, is the commercial director at Pwani Oil.
A major lesson from the massive disruption of global supply chains by Covid-19 is that countries need to invest in local manufacturing to curb dependence on imported products.
The pandemic has also taught us that manufacturing is instrumental in supporting jobs, livelihoods and communities even in a challenging economic environment.
Fortunately, the local manufacturing sector has shown remarkable resilience going by the way it has strongly supported the country’s Covid-19 response.
Going forward, local industries will be crucial in jump-starting economic recovery but more importantly, creating additional jobs, attracting investment and achieving sustainable economic growth.
Uhuru Launches One of a Kind Technology Factory in Nyeri [PHOTOS]
26 April 2021 - 5:00 pm
President Uhuru Kenyatta officially opened the Semi-Conductors Technologies factory at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology on April 26, 2021
PSCU
President Uhuru Kenyatta on April 26, 2021, opened the Semi-Conductors Technologies (STL) factory at the Dedan Kimathi University of Technology.
The factory will manufacture integrated circuits and sensors as raw materials in the electronic gadgets manufacturing industry.
The factory, which is the only one of its kind in Africa, is a public-private partnership (PPP) between the university and American nanotechnology firm 4Wave Inc.
President Uhuru Kenyatta during a tour of the Semi-Conductors Technologies factory at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology on April 26, 2021