How Muhoroni Sugar factory is recovering after years of breakdowns

A trailer loaded with sugarcane sits at Muhoroni Sugar Company's yard as overhead cranes handle cane deliveries at the factory. [File,Standard]

Muhoroni Sugar Company has completed a major overhaul of its ageing plant, ending years of breakdowns caused by a leaking roof that let rain fall directly onto machinery and workers.

The factory, leased to West Valley Sugar, a subsidiary of Kipchimchim Group, last year, has replaced its worn asbestos roofing, installed a new batch centrifugal machine and fixed structural damage that had forced a three-month closure.

Engineer Wilson Ochieng, head of manufacturing, said the plant, established in 1964, had deteriorated through poor maintenance before the takeover.

"Muhoroni is an old factory. It was installed and established in 1964. The operating capacity had deteriorated due to poor maintenance," said Ochieng.

"Workers were demoralised because of lack of payment of salaries and improper maintenance due to lack of adequate spares and funding."

Ochieng explained that rain pouring onto equipment and workers had disrupted operations and created a fire risk from electrical short-circuiting before repairs were made.

"The old structure, which was thoroughly dilapidated, was affecting operations because rain was pouring into the plant onto the equipment and upon the workers, interrupting operations and creating a risk of fire or explosion due to electrical short-circuiting and damage to equipment. This was all completely replaced," he pointed out.

The factory now runs regardless of weather conditions, according to Ochieng, who credited the improvements with restoring timely payments to farmers.

"The factory can now run throughout any weather without affecting operations. A lot of equipment was thoroughly maintained, and we have restored sustained operation because the farmers are currently being paid promptly," he noted.

Farmers who deliver cane now receive weekly payment, a shift Ochieng said has boosted goodwill toward the factory and lifted the local economy.

"They are paid every week. Once they deliver, they get their payment, and there is a lot of goodwill to supply cane to the factory," he added.

The factory is milling 1,500 tonnes of sugarcane daily, up from previous levels, with a target of 2,200 tonnes once further upgrades are complete.

Ochieng said fresh maintenance work is scheduled for October, when the company will replace some boilers and cane preparation motors currently on order.

"We aim to shore up the capacity of cane preparation by replacing all the motors in the cane preparation stage, and these are on the high seas, and we should be able to replace them by the time we stop around October," he affirmed.