Building a reputable name in Kenya’s construction industry takes years of patience, dedication and quality work. In fact, in an industry characterized by briefcase contractors and where shoddy works continue to be witnessed in some projects often leading to catastrophe, standing out as a reputable company can be challenging.
Yet, this is exactly what Visaro Construction Limited has managed to achieve over the past three decades. Driven by a strong desire to grow steadily through consistent client satisfaction, repeat business and a conservative business philosophy of plain hard work, the company today sits at the pinnacle of few Kenyan construction companies that continue to demonstrate high levels of professionalism. This was evident after Visaro was ranked at position three in the annual Business Daily and KPMG Top 100 SMEs survey in November last year.
“We are a company that believes in quality, something that has been instrumental in our growth,” says Nileshkumar Patel, Visaro Construction Director. He adds that the ability to deliver projects effectively, on budget and on schedule, has played a big role in endearing the company to clients, the effect of which has seen Visaro steadily expand exponentially.
Though founded in 1989, Visaro’s journey to conquering Kenya’s construction industry began in earnest in 2001 when it was registered as a general building construction firm fully owned and operated in Kenya. Back then, the company was specializing mainly in residential properties and still boasts a strong portfolio of projects across the country cutting across private residential houses, multi-storey buildings, residential estates and apartment blocks.
Specializing in the residential segment was strategic not only as a foundation to build its reputation in the market but also because the building and construction industry was on the runway ready for takeoff. In essence, by blending innovative problem-solving skills, quality construction techniques and high performance standards, the company was able to consistently complete projects on time and on budget. In the process, the company accumulated a strong base of clients, most of whom became its brand ambassadors through referrals.
Thus when both Patel and Visaro Managing Director Dipesh Hirani joined the company in 2017, it was ready for the next leap in its growth journey. “We joined when the company was very big and the market was hungry for expansion,” explains Hirani. With the construction and building industry witnessing an explosion across all segments and growing at an average of 6.5 per annually, it was the ideal moment for Visaro to explore opportunities in other segments of the market. Although it did not drop its focus on the residential market, the company expanded its scope to include commercial projects, godowns, fit-outs and interior decorations.
For Visaro, the timing was perfect. To start with, Kenya was witnessing an unprecedented increase in skyscrapers and futuristic office blocks, majority of which were targeting multinationals and foreign companies coming to invest in the country. Besides, numerous world organizations and non-governmental organizations were also opening up offices in Kenya owing to the country’s strategic location as a regional economic hub. The influx of these companies, coupled by growth of homegrown companies, has meant work overflow for Visaro due to the firm’s high regard in the market. Currently the company is implementing six fit-out projects for multinationals and banks.
“Global companies venturing into Kenya have really opened the market for us,” states Hirani. He adds that with the high profile jobs, the onus has been on Visaro to ensure delivery beyond the expectations of the clients. On this, the company which has seen its permanent staff count increase from 10 to 50, has not disappointed. Apart from deploying its vast experience in project execution, the company has also put sustainability at the heart of operations. This is important considering that the protection of the environment, employee safety, governance among other sustainability issues are today defining the conduct of businesses.
Apart from being keen on matters sustainability, Visaro has also been setting the pace in the industry in innovations and deployment of technology across the whole spectrum of project implementation. In fit-outs and interior décor, for instance, the impacts have been breathtaking and aesthetic designs that are unrivalled. “A big major motivation for us is the aim to ensure that the investments of our clients are worthwhile,” notes Patel.
Though client focus has been instrumental in the growth of Visaro over the past four years despite the disruptions of COVID-19, the ability to work seamlessly with partners has been critical. Being a construction company, Visaro is part of a team that must work together to ensure effective delivery. The company strives to ensure cordial working relations with the other partners, ultimately for the benefit of the client. This is evident from the many partners that are always willing to recommend and refer Visaro to clients.
Visaro has also ensured that it adheres to the highest standards of professionalism. Being in an industry flooded with contractors, the issue of undercutting to win projects is rampant, something that often leads to compromise in terms of quality. For Visaro, quoting the right price is essential in terms of delivering quality jobs. This is more important for the company because about 80 percent of materials being used in any project are imported. “Clients want to work with companies that demonstrate a high degree of professionalism and integrity,” says Patel.
While Visaro expects to maintain the steady growth trajectory, the company is alive to the fact that the current macroeconomic environment is posing weighty challenges to the building and construction industry. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics third quarter of 2022 economic performance, the construction witnessed a slow down after recording a 4.3 percent growth compared to a growth of 6.7 percent in 2021, something that was mirrored in cement consumption and imports of construction materials.
Apart from economic challenges, which have been exacerbated by the depreciation of the Kenyan currency against major world currencies, the industry is also feeling the pressure of high taxation and at times harassment from government agencies and county government officials particularly when it comes to approval and inspection of projects.
Despite the challenges, Visaro is optimistic of continuous growth owing to the company’s ability to adapt. “Market fundamentals are constantly changing and we must adapt,” avers Hirani. He adds that Visaro also engages in corporate social responsibilities including fundraising for school and hospital projects and donating food items and clothing to the underprivileged in the society.
