NAIROBI, Kenya, May 4 – Eveready East Africa Ltd (EEAL) has announced plans to venture into personal care products and solar power in a bid to expand its product range from mainly batteries and flashlights.
Shareholders authorised the move during its 42nd Annual General Meeting in Nakuru on April 23, to amend its objects to facilitate product diversification as well as investment in other business opportunities.
Eveready EA Managing Director Steve Smith said the company will now start marketing the Playtex brand of personal care products from later this year, as well as venture into solar power.
"We are already in talks with several organisations to form partnerships in the area of solar power sector and announcements over this will soon be made," Mr Smith said.
He said the diversification plans had been necessitated by increased unfair competition from proliferation of substandard, duty free and therefore very low priced “D” size batteries from China and the dumping of product from the Export Processing Zones meant for the export markets.
Playtex brand covers skin, feminine and infant care products.
Mr Smith said the company was further planning to expand into other markets in the region among them Tanzania, Uganda, Southern Sudan and Rwanda.
In the recent past the company announced it was losing over Sh350 million annually as a result of the government allowing the importation of duty free dry cells into the country.
