Companies

Hunt for top 100 mid-sized firms begins

NJORO

Njoro Canning chairman T. K. Patel (right) and other investors during the launch of the Top 100 mid-sized companies survey at Merica Hotel in Nakuru on Friday. PHOTO | WANJIRU MACHARIA

The search for Kenya’s top 100 mid-sized companies in 2015 was officially launched in Nakuru town on Friday at a ceremony attended by top industry captains in the county.

The survey will be held in six counties with the final one being held in Nairobi before the end of the year where the top winners will be announced.

The competition, which is now in its eighth year, is sponsored by the Business Daily and KPMG. It targets some of the fastest growing mid-sized companies with an annual turnover of between Sh70 million and Sh1 billion.

The popular survey recognises the entrepreneurial role played by the companies, which in the past had been ignored despite their great contribution in wealth and job creation.

At least four companies from Nakuru; Mega Pack Limited, Care Chemist, Supreme Pharmacy and Hotel Waterbuck; shrugged off stiff competition to shine in the 2014 edition.

“We had very few customers but the moment our standards of processing were benchmarked in this survey and the name of our company appeared among the top 100 mid-sized companies, our customers and suppliers developed more confidence in us and the volume of our business has since increased tremendously,” said Mega Pack general manager Amitangush Chakraborty during the launch held at Merica Hotel.

The company, which was started in 2010, has since increased its production from 100 tonnes to 1,200 tonnes per month of packaging materials and is giving established big boys of the industry in Nairobi a good run for their money.

Diamond Trust Bank head of branches George Otiende said the bank would continue sponsoring the survey as it owed its fast growth to Small and Micro-Enterprises (SMEs).

“Some 14 years ago, DTB was a small bank with only five branches but today we proudly have more than 100 branches across the region. As a bank, we largely attribute our phenomenal growth to SMEs and that is why we focus more on mid-sized companies because we believe SMEs are the drivers of our economy,” said Mr Otiende.

Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugua said the survey had gained acceptance as a major brand in the market as it recognised the fastest growing companies in Kenya.

“I encourage companies in Nakuru to participate in the survey and compete against other players in the industry,” said Mr Mbugua.

Business Daily managing editor Ochieng’ Rapuro said the survey would gradually be expanded to Burundi and South Sudan as part of the East African Community integration.