Vision Plus Pioneers First Locally Manufactured LED TVs in Kenya’s Special Economic Zone

Vision Plus consumer electronics and appliances has marked a major milestone by becoming the first-ever locally manufactured LED TV brand in Kenya’s Special Economic Zones.

The state-of-the-art assembly plant, operated by Step Up Technologies, is located within the Tatu City Special Economic Zone. With an annual production capacity of at least 200,000 sets, the facility is designed to meet growing demand both locally and across the region.

Speaking during the official opening of the assembly plant  Principal Secretary for Trade Regina Ombam, stated that the government was on a firm trajectory to support the growth and development of local entrepreneurs and investors interested in establishing local assembly plants to serve the domestic and regional markets.

“Our regional markets offer local businesses expansive markets for a broad range of products. We are immensely impressed by the drive shown by Vision Plus to establish a local assembling facility for TVs and consumer electronics,” said PS Ombam.

Echoing her sentiments, Umesh Bhojwani, Managing Director of StepUp Technologies, the operating name for the Vision Plus brand, noted that the firm was eyeing the East African Community (EAC), Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) with the investment in the new assembly plant. 

Setting up the flat panel TV manufacturing plant in Kenya allows the firm to increase its total production capacity. Furthermore, it enables the firm to achieve reduced production costs through optimized supply chain management, logistical efficiencies, and a stable and consistent supply to the target markets.

“When fully operational, we will be producing upwards of 500,000 TV units annually to serve the local and regional markets. We'll be producing a wide range of TVs, from 24 inches to 75 inches. At the same time, we envisage immense technology transfer through the technical training of our teams in both production and recycling as we ramp up research and development targeted at reducing the impact of electronic waste in the country,” said Bhojwani. 

Bhojwani noted that the data according to the 2019 National Census show that out of 12.1 million homes in Kenya, 4.9 million of own tlevisions, indicating a low penetration rate for television sets in general. 

He pointed out that the plant will also serve other global brands that intend to serve the regional markets but lack local production capacity. 

“This venture is also a powerful engine for local value creation and skills development. Our impact goes beyond manufacturing; it extends to deep-rooted technology transfer. We will not only produce our own brands but also engage in contract assembly for others, like Sony,” added Bhojwani.