Sun King, Kenya’s solar and energy-efficient appliances company, has launched its 7,600-square-metre manufacturing facility with an annual production capacity of up to 700,000 units, reports pan-African tech publication TechMoran.
Sun King aims to localise manufacturing, shorten supply chains, and increase local value addition and substitute more than USD $150 million in imports across Africa over five years, keeping more value and jobs within the Kenyan economy.
“Opening our own manufacturing facility in Kenya gives us the scale to deliver more efficiently, the flexibility to innovate faster, and the foundation to grow a resilient manufacturing ecosystem here in Africa. For our customers, it means faster access to products and quality solutions made closer to home.” Kota Kojima, Chief Operating Officer, Sun King.
Sun King designs, installs, and finances a wide range of solar products and electronics, including smartphones and energy-efficient appliances such as televisions, fans, and freezers that work seamlessly with its solar systems. These products provide clean power and connectivity to millions of households and small businesses. The Tatu City facility will start by producing Sun King’s televisions and smartphones, designed to run efficiently on the solar systems that the company delivers.
“At Sun King, we’re driven by a simple commitment: to deliver the best-quality products at prices that families and businesses in Kenya and across Africa can afford. This facility allows us to harness Kenya’s talent and ingenuity to keep delivering on that promise.” T. Patrick Walsh, CEO and Co-Founder, Sun King.
Dr. Juma Mukhwana, Principal Secretary, State Department of Industry, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment said, “This is very much in line with the Kenyan Government’s agenda, such as the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.”
The facility currently employs 90 people, 60 percent men and 40 percent women, and is expected to expand to over 350 employees within five years. Sun King plans to work with technical institutions — including the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) and local universities — to provide structured internship and apprenticeship opportunities. Participants will gain hands-on experience in light manufacturing and process-improvement projects, with high-performing trainees offered pathways to full-time roles.
Headquartered in Nairobi, Sun King powers millions of Kenyan households and businesses with affordable solar energy and energy-efficient technologies. The company employs nearly 10,000 people across Kenya and one in five Kenyans has access to a Sun King product.
