Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen) has commenced construction of its first-ever liquid drilling detergent manufacturing factory, at an estimated investment cost of Ksh.60 million.

The manufacture of the detergent is one of the noble ideas which emerged from the Company’s annual Global Innovation Seminar.

Over the last eight years, the company has been able to originate and implement innovative ideas which have spurred growth within the organization and also created opportunities in Kenya and other African countries.

Construction of the factory, which will be based at the Company’s Olkaria Geothermal complex in Naivasha has commenced, with the plant components installation expected to be complete in 2021.

Speaking on the new development, the company’s Geothermal Development Director, Eng. Abel Rotich said KenGen’s move to set up the factory was driven by the institution’s Good-to-Great (G2G) Transformation Strategy which gave birth to the ongoing diversification move.

The main focus of the strategy, he explained, was to move KenGen from a good to a great company through creating sustainable value from one generation to the next.

He also revealed that the project was about 70 percent complete. “The intended completion and take-over date is expected to be somewhere in the first quarter of 2021,” he added.

The company has already obtained pre-requisite laboratory approvals from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) to manufacture the detergent.

At the same time, KenGen has acquired Kebs approval to manufacture liquid hand washing detergent, liquid bleach, hair shampoo, carpet shampoo, car shampoo, liquid disinfectant and fabric softener.

KenGen submitted an Environmental and Social Impacts Assessment (ESIA) report for the proposed detergent plant to National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) on October 26, 2018 and got the requisite approvals on July 19, 2019, signaling the start of the project tendering and construction phase.

KenGen’s adoption of innovation as part and parcel of its business has been key to the organization’s success. The company is currently integrating innovation in its conversations and actions.

Other viable projects which KenGen has embarked on under the Good-2-Great Strategy include; commercial treatment and bottling of drinking water following commissioning of Gitaru Water Drinking Plant, and the KenGen Calibration center.