It is the dream of every Kenyan to own a home. Yet, if statistics are anything to go by, this dream continues to be elusive to the majority. According to government statistics, home ownership in the country has remained relatively low at 21.3 per cent in urban areas compared to other developing countries such as South Africa at 53.3 per cent.
The relatively low rate of home ownership in Kenya is attributed to among other factors high land prices, high initial transaction cost such as the initial deposit required to access mortgage, lack of credit risk information for those in the informal sector leading to their exclusion, high interest rates for mortgage loans, lack of real estate finance to fund large scale developments, and low income levels which has made it hard to service loans.
One major factor that has often been overlooked is the failure to start the journey for home ownership at an early age. In fact, according to Manish Mehra, Mabati Rolling Mills (MRM) Chief Executive Officer, young people getting into the job market have the opportunity to plan well in advance and achieve the dream of owning a home by making the decision early on. “We are telling young people that we can help them plan the journey of home ownership,” he says, adding the strategy is developing a workable plan with all the metrics in place.
As an integrated building and construction solutions provider, MRM has for over six decades accumulated substantial experience not only in the manufacture of products but also in being a trusted adviser on matters of homeownership. Indeed, as the leading manufacturer of roofing solutions, and other products, the company has helped many Kenyans realize the dream of homeownership.
According to the company, the journey to the beautiful house starts with a great looking roof because the roof is said to be over 40 percent of the exterior look of the house. While understanding the roof material type and roof design is important, the most critical decision is on the quality of the steel or tile that is used to make the roofing material a home owner eventually buys.
Being a company that is known for quality roofing products, MRM has unveiled an ambitious campaign to increase the sale of its premium steel tile roofing products over the next three months through a promotional activity dubbed Tiles Campaign in which it is targeting to sell 3,500 tonnes of roofing products in the tiles roofing business segment that comprise products like Versatile, Orientile, Zentile and Elegantile roofing solutions.
MRM, the market leader in building solutions, sells on average 1,000 tonnes of tiles roofing solutions and is hoping to significantly increase sales this year driven by the building and construction industry’s rebound following the negative impacts of Covid-19. “Over the last two years we did not communicate effectively with customers due to Covid. Now we feel it is the right time to launch the tiles campaign and tell the market about our products because we stand for quality,” said Mehra. He added that through the campaign, the company is also targeting younger consumers with the aim being to walk with them in their journey towards owning a home.
MRM, a wholesome building solutions provider, has built a reputation as the market leader in the tiles roofing market through offering high quality products that are unmatched in terms of beauty, durability and cost efficiency. The products are available in both gloss and textured finish, come in different colours and offer much longer life span.
In Kenya, metal roofs remain the most popular with the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics data showing that about 90 percent of houses in Kenya have a metal roof. For decades MRM has been a market leader in offering the market metal roofing solutions from aluminum coated silvery finish that is used to make Dumuzas sheets, coloured coated sheets in different profiles or double coated textured finish. The company boasts a wide range of colours available for homeowners to choose.
Having succeeded in the metal roofing market space, the company is determined to push penetration of the steel tile roofing sheet market that is still relatively small at about 10 percent. Through the tiles campaign, MRM is not only pushing to consolidate its market leadership but also push the growth of the tiles roofing market. Over the next two to three years, the company hopes to see the tiles roofing market increase to at least 25 percent.
“The market will grow and there will be space for everyone but for us it is important we grow our market share without compromising on quality considering that many suppliers have come into the market offering cheaper products but the quality is low,” said Mehra. He added that the fact that the newcomers are offering low quality products and cheaper rates has created a distortion in the market, with consumers being the biggest losers.
MRM contends the tiles campaign comes at an opportune moment in order to create excitement in the market and give an opportunity to consumers to choose high quality products that guarantee return on investment due to durability. The campaign will involve using the company’s employees as brand ambassadors and also reaching consumers through different channels like its website, social media platforms, e-commerce (the company’s online shop), call center, point of sale displays, merchandising among others.
While making customers understand and get to appreciate the importance of quality in choosing roofing solutions, MRM will also use the campaign to educate the market on the different specifications of its different steel tile roof solutions. Also of importance will be the need to advise clients on the pricing aspect. “People often forget that cheap is expensive,” notes Mehra, adding that for MRM, the quality of the product should be the determining factor in pricing.
On this, MRM reckons that it is critical to bear in mind factors like roof slope, which is a consideration that may eliminate some roofing possibilities especially if the slope is low and weather proofing which has to do with the prevalent weather conditions. The temperature, amount of rain and need for ventilation are all to be considered when making that important investment.
Other factors are roof installation in that the weight of roofing materials is always a concern because the structural framing of a roof is only designed to carry a certain amount of weight and durability. This is of critical importance because installing a roof is an expensive, disruptive job. Thus, it is usually worth it to pay more for materials that have longer life spans especially if you intend to remain in the house for a long period of time. Going for cheaper products often turns out to be disastrous.
