East African Cables', which makes cables for the utility and telecoms industries, said on Wednesday it would open its upgraded plant in Kenya's capital this year after reporting a 13 percent fall in pretax profit.
The firm, which has a footprint in the East African region, said it would commission the modernised and expanded production plant in Nairobi in the first half of this year.
"This provides additional capacity and flexibility to offer a wider product range and to cover the wider eastern and central Africa region," the company said in a statement.
Pretax profit fell to 507.5 million shillings ($5.5 million), East African Cables said, adding that lower margins in some of its markets had offset revenue growth.
Revenue rose 13 percent on the back of higher volumes in new markets without giving details.
The company said it would pay a final dividend of 0.50 shillings per share, bringing the total dividend for the year to 1.00 shillings, unchanged from 2013.
Earnings per share edged down to 1.16 shillings in the period from 1.37 shillings previously.
Shares in the company rose nearly 1 percent to 16.00 shillings each, buoyed by revenue growth, the unchanged dividend and the imminent opening of the expanded plant.
