When it Rains, it Pours

July 10, 2012

After sending letters, emails, and calling all of the contacts we could find online, we decided it was time to start doing drop-ins to different companies. We knew that several were located in the industrial area behind the railway station, so we hired a very patient taxi driver to take us around.

**We are leaving out specific information about the companies until we verify and obtain approval from the firms that the information is correct.

Stop One: TransAfrica Motors

We knew the parent company of TransAfrica Motors was FAW, a Chinese truck company. We circled the industrial area a few times, since there are no addresses or directions to ANY locations in Kenya, but finally we found it. It seemed to be a showroom, but we walked up to the counter and told the receptionist our story. She found someone we could talk to, and we were able to conduct our first interview. Though we could not obtain all the information we needed, we were provided contact information for the boss, who we will call tomorrow. We did figure out the relationship between FAW, Beiqi Foton Motors, TransAfrica Motors, and Kenya Vehicle Motors, so that was a plus.

 Stop Two: BMG Holdings

While we were driving out of the industrial park, we saw a small sign that said LiFan. It sounded Chinese so we decided to check it out. We had no idea what we were in store for! First, the original awning that has the company name on it looked abandoned. There were two guards standing near the next building so we asked them if people ever come to the facility. They laughed and said LiFan was actually across the street in an unmarked building. Go figure! When we entered the compound we were enthusiastically met by one of the managers. We discovered that LiFan was a Chinese company and BMG Holdings was the exclusive distributor of their motorbikes in Kenya. The bikes are brought in pieces to Kenya and BMG actually assembles and then sells them. Not only did this group distribute LiFan motorbikes, but they also distributed Tiger generators, chainsaws, and cement products from China. Two Chinese employees from LiFan in Beijing are stationed at BMG Holdings to oversee the assembly process.

You would think LiFan Motors would be located in this building...

But in reality, it is located here!

Stop 3: KVM (Kenya Vehicle Motors)

Jacob, Mollie, and Kyla at KVM/Beiqi Foton Motors

Kenya Vehicle Motors is located outside Thika Town, which is about a forty minute drive outside Nairobi. To get there, you have to drive on the newly constructed Thika Road (China Wu Yi is the main contractor). We'll talk more about the experience of driving on the road later. After several phone calls to the receptionist, our driver was able to find the factory. We had an appointment with one of the Administrators and he proved to be a vital asset to us. He took us to lunch, walked us through the entire facility (from the paintshop and degreaser, to the body-building and paneling areas), and spent several hours discussing the policies, processes, and experiences of working in the auto industry in Kenya..

Kyla, Mr. Otieno, and Mollie at KVM

KVM is a Kenyan company that was established in 1972 and does CMC assembly of over 200 different vehicles. One of the vehicles they assemble is Beiqi Foton Motors, a Chinese car and truck company. The administrator introduced us to the Beiqi Foton administrator at the plant, a Kenyan engineer hired by Foton. He also provided a wealth of information about the company and even got a ride back to the city from our driver.

Stop 4: China Wu Yi

The last appointment of the day was with the administrator of China Wu Yi, the second largest Chinese construction firm working in Kenya. The men we met with were extremely nice and helpful. After the formal interview, we ate dinner with them for several hours and talked about everything from Kenyan politics, American politics, family values, football supporters, children, entrepreneurial ideas, and the future of China in Kenya. We are now great friends with them and are sure to meet again, as they would like to take us to see their hometowns, meet their wives and children, and even meet Obama's grandmother (one is from the same area). Completing an interview with China Wu Yi is a giant stepping stone because now we can tell other companies that we've spoken with China Wu Yi and they cooperated. It should open many doors for us in the coming weeks!

China Wu Yi Plaza site

Fun things of note:

-Thika Road is a twelve lane highway but most of the walking bridges are not complete. As such, there are crosswalks in the middle of the road (with no lights), so mass amounts of people, including hoards of schoolchildren, walk across twelve lanes of highway, no problem.

-Fun signs on the roads: Amazing Funeral Parlor, Marriage Experience Center, God Dwells Here Estate Apartments, Welcome to Thika Town: The Birmingham of Kenya

-The music on the radio is hilarious. Songs we heard today on Classic Rock: “I Want to Know What Love Is,” several Backstreet Boys hits, Patsy Cline, Jackson Five, “Rhythm of the Night,” and many Celine Dion classics including the Titanic theme song.