KENYA – Sidel, a leading provider of equipment and services solutions for packaging beverage, food, home and personal care products has announced that it will set base in East Africa’s largest economy, Kenya in 2022.

The company, one of the operating units of Tetra Laval, has indicated it will open a new office in the country’s capital-Nairobi, to support its customers’ growth with the highest standard of local engineering capability, tailored made solutions and local customer service.

“Africa has always been an important market, one which the company will continue to significantly invest in, as the dynamic Food, Home and Personal Care (FHPC) and beverage markets continue to grow at an impressive rate.

“Moreover, the economic performance from countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia show some of the highest levels of GDP and disposable income growth on the continent,” said Sidel Sales Director Africa, Bassam Oussaifi.

The move is aimed to further stamp Sidel’s presence in the African market, which it has been serving for many years through its collaboration with SBA, the official partner and representation of a couple multinational companies in Africa.

Under the new plan, the packaging solution provider will continue to work closely with SBA in East Africa, tagging it as its exclusive distributor of its spare parts.

Moreover, SBA will increase its commercial and service-based resource and focus in Ethiopia, Central and West Africa, using existing SBA offices in Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Angola, Congo, DRC and Ethiopia.

“Being closer to our customer base in East Africa will enable us to better understand the evolving market and consumer trends to provide ever more tailor-made solutions to local businesses and support our customers’ growth as the region continues to develop,” said Sidel Service Director Africa, Julien Pengam.

Julien further highlighted that the company’s local presence will provide its customers with fast, direct access to high level engineering competence and efficient on the ground support services through local resources that understand the local market nuances, improving ease of business for our valued customers across East Africa.

Based on over 170 years of proven experience, the company has shaped the factories of tomorrow across the globe through advanced systems and services, line engineering, eco-solutions, and other innovations.

With over 40,000 machines installed in more than 190 countries, Sidel will leverage on its global experience to deliver advanced solutions and services, from packaging and blowing to filling, labelling and packing, through to palletising, to bring innovation to the industry and deliver brand differentiation and competitive advantage for customers.

The Sidel East Africa team will be established including all positions deemed critical for success, including sales, services, engineering, project management and finance.

The company is also committed to investing in the local labour market, leveraging the local talent pool and developing skills in both technical engieering and management across all core operational functions.

Multinational companies have recognised the significant potential represented by East Africa especially Kenya, as its economy is buoyed to grow at an impressive rate.

Sidel’s competitor, KHS, manufacturer of filling and packaging equipment for the beverage, food, and non-food sectors, recently broken ground for the construction of state-of-the-art center in Kenya.

The regional hub, will feature a number of training and conference rooms, offices and a large warehouse for spare parts and installation tools. It is scheduled for completion in 2022.

Meanwhile other global entities such as Mühlenchemie, food ingredients solution provider and Alapala, Turkey’s premier milling equipment company, have expressed interest in setting base in the country.

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