LafargeHolcim, the world’s leading construction materials and solutions company has begun the roll-out of specialised one-stop building materials stores in Kenya with the opening of four outlets in Nairobi, Machakos and Kiambu Counties.
It has set aside an additional Ksh 24 million which will go towards the opening of 12 more stores in various parts of the country including Thika, Nakuru, Kisumu, Mombasa and Kajiado by December this year. Its total investment this year is Ksh 40 million. The company has an ambition of opening over 200 stores in the country by 2020.
LafargeHolcim already has a presence in country through its subsidiary Bamburi Cement.
The stores, which are operated under the brand name ‘Binastore’, will serve the needs of end-consumers, self-builders, masons and small contractors selling a broad range of building materials including Bamburi Cement products and solutions as well as a variety of other construction materials from partner suppliers.
“Binastore outlets will not only provide building and construction materials, but also offer numerous differentiating and attractive services to clients such as credit services, technical support and access to architects and building designs,” said Eric Gitahi, Network Development Manager, Binastore.
The stores will cover all building materials and adapted to local market needs including cement, roofing, blocks and paving, paint, tools, locks, plumbing, electrical, safety equipment, flooring and tiling, doors and windows to name a few.
Some of the partner suppliers that the company is working with are Bamburi Cement, Union and Yale, East African Cables, Fosroc Kenya, Mabati Rolling Mills, Metsec, Plascon, Sika and Simba General Merchants.
Additionally, the stores will also offer project design and advisory services through a partnership with Bamburi Cement under its affordable housing initiative.
This move comes against the backdrop of a recent announcement by LafargeHolcim to rollout specialised retail network for construction materials in Africa and Middle East under its new Binastore banner. So far, it has over 500 stores and a presence in over 12 countries in Africa and Middle East offering over 2000 building materials and products.
“Benefiting from the relationships between LafargeHolcim and suppliers over the world and the economies of scale of the network, Binastore outlets have access to a broad range of quality products at competitive prices,” added Gitahi.
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According to the Oxford Business Group’s Construction and Real Estate Research and Analysis 2017 report, Kenya’s construction industry has been accelerating at a rapid pace and making a substantial contribution to the country’s strong GDP growth figures on the back of major public works projects and rising demand for mixed-use and residential developments.
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