BE Forward To Support Kenya’s Manufacturing Sector

Global vehicle exporter BE Forward is shaping up to uplift Kenya’s manufacturing sector by upscaling the delivery of equipment and spare parts amid the  COVID 19 Pandemic.

This comes after a recent report by the Kenya Bureau of Statistics which noted that production of assembled vehicles increased from 768 units in August 2020 to 798 units in September 2020. The report also noted that machinery and other capital equipment; Fuel and lubricants; and transport equipment accounted for 17.81, 12.57 and 11.51, percent of the total value of imports, respectively.

Speaking on this revelation, BE Forward Senior Manager South & East Africa Group John Mutahi commended the government on its efforts to grow the manufacturing sector, noting that an increase in vehicle imports was a positive sign of economic recovery.

“Kenya being a fast-growing economy, there is a huge demand for machinery and equipment as well as spare parts.  In 2019, Kenya imported approximately 130,000 Vehicles which dropped by about 50% in 2020 due to the pandemic. Although there was a huge demand of vehicles, the supply fell short due to the unavailability of vessels which were stuck at various ports around the world. With import regulations adapting to the pandemic, we are optimistic that the demand to Kenya will grow, albeit slowly,” noted John.

In addition, to keep their customers and dealers safe, the company initiated a campaign dubbed ‘buy 1 keep 1 safe’. Sales Manager at BE Forward Mombasa office (Trent Motors) Salome Njeri Muriithi added that they have been supplying over 26,000 facemasks to help in the fight against COVID 19, while creating a flexible payment plan.

“All our customers visiting the local offices continue to observe the safety guidelines against the spread of the virus, and through the system they can work remotely. We also have flexible payment plans for dealers thus allowing them to flexibly run their operations without a glitch. The latter has also been extended to customers who meet requirements of the same,” said Salome.

The National Transport and Safety Authority recorded 35,180 new registrations as of November 2020 compared to 27,063 units in 2019.

BE Forward has 7 local agent office in Kenya and over 100 agents globally in the approximately 200 countries they operate in. Globally BE Forward employs above 2,000 Staff both directly and indirectly, their systems support about 50 youth who have secured employment with BE Forward Local in Kenya alone. 90% of the company’s labor force is conducted by locals.

Source: Capital FM Kenya.

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