US bathroom fittings giant Kohler,recently announced its intentions to focus and open a Nairobi showroom to enable them reach and serve the fast-growing middle class in the country.
The new showroom will be based in Westlands, Nairobi and will mostly target the middle class where there is a demand for luxury and mid-range bathroom and kitchen products.
Kohler Senior Vice President – Human Resources and Stewardship, Laura Kohler confirmed the news and said that the upcoming development will be the 10th kind of store in the sub-Saharan region after comparable ones was set up in South Africa, Angola, Uganda and Mauritius.
“The potential of this market was clear and we realised the need to further strengthen our African roots prompting the opening of our dedicated office based in Johannesburg in February 2014 and this office will definitely service the entire sub-Saharan region,” Ms Laura Kohler said.
The Wisconsin-based, family-owned company confirmed that it will be opening the showroom in the first quarter of 2017 in Nairobi, Kenya and will drive further growth across the continent in the near future.
Ms Kohler further explained that the Kohler signature store will be opened jointly with the leading East Africa kitchen retailer Kitchens & Beyond and besides individual consumers, it will also target institutional investors in the energetic and fast-expanding hospitality industry in Kenya.
Over 100 Kohler assortments ranging from faucets and sinks to toilets, bidets, showers and bathtubs will be stocked in the new showroom enabling them to find a boom in the Kenyan market.
“We are seeing a hospitality boom in Kenya marked by the construction of the upcoming luxury hotels and we will seek to provide our products to that segment too,” said Kohler vice president international business development Mr. Bernhard Langel.
The bold look of Kohler bathroom products will be among other features guests can expect to enjoy in the new City Lodge Hotel development in the almost complete Two Rivers Mall.
Installation of the bathroom products will start later this year and we are excited of this important project win,” said the Kohler Marketing Manager for sub-Sahara Africa Alida de Klerk.
Today, the firm has more than 50 manufacturing locations on 6 continents; more than 30,000 Kohler associates are able to present the concept of gracious living in every corner of the world.
