Kenya is seeking to strengthen its local manufacturing capacity through international investment, technology transfer and skills development, following a visit by government officials to BY Industries Kenya at Nairobi Gate Industrial Park.
John Kipchumba Tanui, Principal Secretary of Kenya’s State Department of ICT and Digital Economy, visited the facility alongside South Korea’s Ambassador to Kenya, H.E. Kang Hyung-shik, to assess how international partnerships and domestic manufacturing are contributing to the country’s industrial development.
Operating under Kenya’s Special Economic Zone framework, BY Industries Kenya specialises in precision engineering and industrial fabrication. Its operations cover steel processing, laser fabrication, machinery design, assembly and the installation of specialised industrial equipment.
The company manufactures a range of agricultural processing machinery, including rice and wheat processing equipment, coffee pulpers, hullers, graders, sorters, roasters, grinders and packaging machines. Its product portfolio also includes colour sorters, grain drying systems, fermentation tanks and material-handling equipment.
According to Tanui, these technologies can help modernise agricultural processing, improve operational efficiency, reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen the competitiveness of Kenyan agricultural products.
He highlighted the local fabrication of specialised equipment, including bucket elevators supplied to coffee exporters such as Jabali The Coffee Company, as an example of how domestic manufacturing can support agricultural businesses while reducing reliance on imported machinery.
The visit also showcased the development of what Tanui described as Africa’s first decaffeination facility by BY Industries Kenya. The facility is expected to expand Kenya’s coffee processing capabilities and create opportunities for advanced processing, product diversification and greater value retention within the economy.
BY Industries Kenya also operates the BY Kenya–Korea Innovation Centre, supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). The centre provides young Kenyans with practical training in Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) and advanced metalworking.
Tanui said Kenya’s industrial transformation priorities include attracting investments that facilitate technology transfer, developing local technical capabilities and strengthening domestic supply chains. He added that international partnerships should translate into lasting local capacity, innovation, skills development, job creation and wider economic opportunities.
