Sameer Africa to shut down tyre manufacture business amid losses

Sameer Group of Companies chairman Naushad Merali (right) with Ryce East Africa Ltd General Manager Ayoob Jusab during the launch of Hero Motorbikes from India into the Kenyan market on Sunday. Sameer Africa is planning to abandon manufacturing of tyres at its Nairobi plant and shift the production offshore, possibly to India or China. (PHOTO: GIDEON MAUNDU/ STANDARD)

Sameer Africa is planning to abandon manufacturing of tyres at its Nairobi plant and shift the production offshore, possibly to India or China.

Sameer Africa Chief Executive Officer Allan Walmsley told The Standard yesterday that his firm, the makers of Yana tyres, could earn higher margins through contracting-manufacturing, possibly with an Indian firm that has in the recent past unsuccessfully bid to acquire Sameer. “We are thinking of moving production offshore, but I can’t tell you exactly when,” Mr Walmsley said.