Complast Industries: Plastic Furniture and Household Products in Kenya
Nizar Hemraj gives an overview of Complast Industries, one of Kenya’s leading companies in plastic furniture and household products. He also mentions some of the company’s most significant success stories and talks about Complast’s philosophy.
Interview with Nizar Hemraj, Managing Director of Complast Industries
Complast Industries is one of Kenya’s leading companies in plastic furniture and household products. Could you give us an overview of the company’s history and main business segments?
Complast was established in August 1994. We produce injection moulded plastic furniture and other household items. At the beginning, we wanted to build a plastic factory and we saw that there were many plastic producers here in Kenya making various different items such as buckets, basins, jugs and bins. We found that nobody was making plastic garden furniture, it was only being imported, which was odd since plastic furniture was more affordable and durable than its wooden equivalents at the time. So basically, we realized that this product range was manufactured for the masses in other countries, but here it was not. The only people who could afford plastic furniture were the ones who had big gardens, big swimming pools and amenities of that nature. It was quite expensive for the average person. So we decided that we should enter into plastic garden furniture. When we started production, the price was nearly half of what it had been for imports. We began by making only tables and chairs. After that, we expanded into other higher quality household items which were aimed more at the middle class. We then ventured into branding of furniture for our corporate clients. We do branding for a number of large corporations, such as Coca Cola and breweries such as SABMiller and Heineken. We supply all over Kenya and export to countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda and the DRC. We have also partnered with Danida, which is the Danish B2B program. With their technology and support, we were able to receive tenders to make ballot boxes for various countries throughout Africa. Previously, all ballot boxes and election materials were imported, and it was proving to be very expensive transporting them from Europe to Africa. We have supplied the ballot boxes for many elections to Uganda, Malawi, Central African Republic and other African countries.
What are some of the company’s most significant success stories?
The only people who could afford plastic furniture were the ones who had big gardens, big swimming pools and amenities of that nature. It was quite expensive for the average person. So we decided that we should enter into plastic garden furniture.
Complast received ISO certification in 2008 and we were the first plastic company in Kenya to make plastic furniture using mono block technology. We were also ranked in the top 100 companies and then graduated to Club 101. We joined the UN Global Compact in 2008 with the sole purpose of advocating and promoting their goals, which include human rights, labor laws, fairness, environment and corruption. We have completed all of the COP reports to date. I was invited to and attended a conference in New York where we received a special notation from the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon. We were the only company representing the plastic sector. Complast and one other company from the motor industry were the only two companies from Kenya asked to join the conference. It was quite a proud moment for us.
How would you describe the philosophy of the company?
Our philosophy is to be great rather than to be big, and we do this by always improving ourselves. To us the customer is king. Our relationship with the customer is something that goes beyond buying and selling, we form a partnership. This is what has kept us above everyone else.