twitter Facebook Linkedin acp Contact Us

Kirloskar Brothers Limited expands into North Africa

Narayan Mirji, Regional Head of Kirloskar Brothers Limited for North Africa. (Image source: Kirloskar Brothers)

African Review of Business and Technology spoke with Narayan Mirji, Regional Head of Kirloskar Brothers Limited for North Africa, about the development opportunities for the company in Africa

Narayan Mirji is the Regional Head of Kirloskar Brothers Limited for North Africa and is based in Cairo Egypt. He also heads the operations of SPP Pumps MENA LLC in Egypt, a subsidiary company of KBL engaged in assembly, testing and packaging of value added pumping systems and services.

Can you give an overview of your company and the projects you take part in?

Kirloskar Brothers Limited (KBL) is a global fluid management solutions provider and the largest manufacturer and exporter of centrifugal pumps and valves from India. KBL has been one of the prominent players in the field of constructing large irrigation pumping stations. Over the last five decades KBL has constructed more than 50 pumping stations in Egypt irrigating close to 150,000 Ha of land. KBL has successfully executed turnkey projects for both the Government and the Private investors in the field of irrigation pumping stations. KBL has received new contracts from the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Mechanical & Electrical department, Egypt for the supply, installation and commissioning of large Horizontal Split Casing pump sets and Vertical Turbine pump sets. Besides irrigation, KBL has supplied 28 Nos. large pump sets to Alexandria Water Company, Egypt for supplying raw & treated water to the Alexandria city. KBL bagged a prestigious contract from Morocco for the supply of vertical turbine pump setsfor Loukkos Irrigation project. Also supplied end suction /split case pump sets in stainless steel material for a water supply project in Morocco.

How are your products different to that of your competitors?

KBL is known for custom made pumps often used for many critical applications/site wherein the pumps are specifically designed for the application and the site conditions. One example which we could mention here is the supplies made to Alexandria Water Company, the pumps are tailor made to suit every aspect of hydraulic and mechanical design of the existing pumps /site conditions. KBL is also known as “Complete Solution Provider”rather than a product supplier. Imparting training to our customers through structured training programmes makes us even more different.

Which countries in Africa are you exporting products to? Will you be targeting more countries?

At present Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Ethiopia, Sudan, Nigeria and Ghana are the focus countries that we are exporting to.

Have you built a reputation in the construction, water, power and other sectors? How are you looking to build on this?

We are strengthening our presence in the construction sector through our newly launched facility in Egypt, SPP pumps MENA LLC, wherein we will be supplying value added pumping packages viz., UL listed firefighting pumps, HVAC pumps, etc., As I mentioned, for the water sector, we already have made supplies to various customers and it’s going to be our potential market in most of the countries that we are operating in to. We have started working in the power sector, especially in Egypt since there are big investments happening and at present we don’t have significant presence in this sector.  

Are you seeking to add to your product range?

Yes. We would like to introduce Lowest life cycle pumps in this region, which will benefit our esteemed customers with consistent and efficient performance. Introducing Concrete Volute pumps is another opportunity, which is cost effective and highly reliable pumping equipment.

How are your products tailored to customers’needs?

We go into the details of application, site conditions and then decide hydraulic and mechanical design of the pumps so that it’s a precise solution to our customer. This could be challenging but KBL overcomes this with the technical expertise of engineers who, at all times, recommend tailor-made pumping solutions to customers.

In terms of developing your products, what is your future expansion strategy?

We have plans to expand our Egypt facility. We would like to build local vendor base and manufacture some of the components locally to offer cost effective products/solutions.

The Bell team in Richards Bay consists of more than 800 machinists, welders, and assemblers. (Image source: Bell)

GFE Power Product’s extensive range covers generators from 10 kVA up to 3,000 kVA. (Image source: GFE Power Products)

The funding is the largest-ever equity raise in the minigrid industry according to Husk. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

The initiative will help African contractors participate in annual infrastructure investments. (Image source: Afreximbank)

ITS has evolved into a sophisticated systems approach, providing numerous opportunities to revolutionise road networks. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Invest International’s Lara Muller; Ivory Coast Minister of Finance and Economy, Adam Coulibaly; and Ambassador Designate to Ivory Coast, Jeroen Kelderhuis. (Image source: Invest International)

The Yellow Metal Machine Rental team with some Wacker Neuson equipment. (Image source: Wacker Neuson)

Although displaying resilience, the report warns that African banks remain exposed to physical climate risks due to both sovereign and industry lending. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

WAA and VCMI will seek to establish regulatory frameworks to enable access to high integrity and fair voluntary carbon markets for WAA member countries. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

The parties will also promote the mutual exchange of information and expertise in the field of export credit policies and practices. (Image source: TBD Group)

Inside Condra’s Johannesburg factory: an overhead crane positions an electric motor during assembly of hoist and crab. (Image source: Condra)

IVECO is renewing its entire product range, all at once. (Image source: IVECO)

The MoU was signed alongside the Africa Health Business Symposium. (Image source: Africa CDC)

Both the IMF and EIU expect SSA to rank as the world’s second fastest growing economy in 2024. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

There has been a focus on the sugar industry. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

At WFES, Gotion High-tech will showcase its latest products and leading green energy solutions at its booth. (Image source: Gotion High-tech)

The new Perkins 5012 is a full-authority electronic engine optimised and purpose-built for power generation applications. (Image source: Perkins)

SSAB will begin deliveries of the new products in 2026.

The key issues restricting sub-Saharan Africa’s manufacturing sector will be unpacked at Manufacturing Indaba later this year. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Through the innovative solution, each vessel can fill two tank containers on average between two ports. (Image source: Maersk)

Hyphen is developing sub-Saharan Africa’s largest, most advanced and only fully-vertical integrated green hydrogen project. (Image source: Hyphen)

According to Liebherr, the Used Equipment Marketplace is extremely user-friendly. (Image source: Liebherr)

Electricity storage will be pivotal in unlocking renewable projects and meeting energy demand. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

With RFID, assets can be given unique digital identities that enable users to identify and locate them all at once, from a distance, in real time. (Image source: Brady)

Africa Data Centres and DPA SA have broken ground on their solar farm in the Free State. (Image source: Africa Data Centres)

A Cat PM310 Cold Planer in action. (Image source: Caterpillar)

A larger stockholding of WEG products facilitates ready access for customers. (Image source: WEG Africa)

African nations have turned to the concept of power pools to address the continent's energy deficit and foster regional cooperation. (Image source: Synergy Consulting)

Dietmar Siersdorfer is expanding his role as Middle East managing director at Siemens Energy to include Africa. (Image source: Siemens Energy)

SEW-EURODRIVE is aggressively driving its African resource expansion by focusing this year on Botswana, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Mozambique. (Image source: SEW EURODRIVE)