Companies

Turkish firms set to woo Kenyans at Nairobi expo

nca

National Construction Authority chief executive Maurice Aketch will attend the forum. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Turkish manufacturers will from Wednesday showcase a wide range of their products in Nairobi as they seek to woo local farmers, real estate and property developers.

The 16 firms drawn across the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC-R) industry will hold the two-day event at the Intercontinental Hotel in what they say marks the start of their expansion into East Africa.

The chair of the Turkish Air Conditioning Industry Exporters Association, Levent Aydin said the firms will display potato and fresh fruit storage facilities, chillers and cold rooms aimed at helping farmers reduce their post-harvest losses.

Others attending the event are agro-processing, food and beverage manufacturers.

Also on show will be medical and pharmaceutical, waste management, commercial property development and industrial products.

“Most of the companies will be in Kenya for the first time and the options include opening branches, commercial co-operation… the Turkish HVAC-R Industry is looking to establish reliable long-term partnerships,” Mr Aydin said.

He added that they are targeting to use Kenya as their regional hub to sell their products in the neighbouring Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and other countries.

The manufacturers are banking on the growing demand for housing units for domestic and commercial uses that has so far seen other investors from Singapore, Egypt and China among other countries pitch tent in the country.

Some of the firms set for the Nairobi visit include household appliances maker Arcelik whose products include refrigerators, freezers and washing machines and heat exchanger manufacturer Friterm.

Others are Ulpatek that manufactures industrial and domestic air filters, electrical heaters maker Venco Duyar Group, Tekser that manufactures tiles, MGT Air Filter and Cvsair Ventilation Technic.

National Construction Authority (NCA) chief executive Maurice Aketch will attend the forum.

The expo is the latest by Turkish HVAC-R manufacturers that have been on a charm offensive in the region following a similar forum in neighbouring Tanzania that was held in 2018.