Unilever East and West Africa tops the list of companies in Industrial Area, Nairobi, the city's largest manufacturing hub. Located on Commercial Street, Unilever produces food, personal care, and home products across East Africa. This guide covers the top manufacturing companies in Industrial Area, their locations, how to drop off your CV, and how to get there from Nairobi CBD. In this article, TUKO.co.ke also speaks to a manufacturing industry expert.
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Key takeaways
- Industrial Area is located 3–5 km southeast of Nairobi CBD, in Makadara Constituency.
- The zone hosts the largest concentration of industries in a single location within Nairobi.
- Top employers include Unilever, Crown Paints, Isuzu East Africa, Nestlé Kenya, and New KCC.
- Job seekers can drop CVs Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–5:00 PM at most factories.
- Matatu routes 11, 33MKR, and 33TP connect Nairobi CBD to Industrial Area for as little as KSh 50.
Top manufacturing companies in Industrial Area, Nairobi
This list was compiled from Kenya Trade business directories, company websites, and verified contact databases. Companies were ranked by size, regional reach, and name recognition within the Industrial Area zone. All addresses and phone numbers were cross-checked against official company sites and business listing directories.
Company | Industry | Road |
Unilever East and West Africa | FMCG / Consumer goods | Commercial Street |
Isuzu East Africa | Vehicle manufacturing | Enterprise Road |
Nestlé Kenya Limited | Food and beverage | Pate Road |
Crown Paints Kenya Limited | Paints and coatings | Likoni Road |
New Kenya Co-operative Creameries | Dairy processing | Dakar Road |
Unga Limited | Flour and animal feeds | Commercial Street |
Osho Chemical Industries | Agrochemicals | Sasio Road |
Nairobi Plastics Ltd | Plastics manufacturing | Rangwe Road |
Roto Moulders Ltd | Water tanks / rotational moulding | Enterprise Road |
Kartasi Industries | Paper and cardboard | Enterprise Road |
10. Kartasi Industries (Paper and cardboard manufacturing)
- Location: 076 Enterprise Road, Industrial Area, Nairobi
- Phone: +254 20 653 3287, 0733 333 929
- Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–4:30 PM
- Products: Paper, cardboard, and stationery products
Kartasi Industries has been a fixture in Industrial Area for decades. It manufactures paper-based products and stationery distributed across Kenya. The factory is easy to find on Enterprise Road, one of the area's main arteries.
9. Roto Moulders Ltd (largest range of water tanks in East Africa)
- Location: Enterprise Road, Industrial Area, Nairobi
- Phone: +254 733 600 203 / +254 722 203 486
- Products: Water tanks, rotational moulded plastics
- Website: www.rotomoulders.com
Roto Moulders is the market leader in rotational moulding in Kenya. The company produces the largest range of water tanks in East Africa, making it a key supplier for residential and commercial construction projects.
8. Nairobi Plastics Ltd (leading plastics manufacturer)
- Location: 15 Rangwe Road off Lunga Lunga Road, Industrial Area, Nairobi
- Phone: +254 732 629 000
- Products: High-quality plastic solutions for domestic and export markets
- Website: www.nairobiplastics.com
Nairobi Plastics Ltd (NPL) is one of the continent's leading plastics manufacturers. It serves both local and export markets. The factory sits off Lunga Lunga Road, a key industrial corridor in the area.
7. Osho Chemical Industries (agrochemical and veterinary products)
- Location: Osho Complex, Plot 09, Sasio Road off Lunga Lunga Road, Industrial Area, Nairobi
- Phone: +254 711 045 000
- Email: customercare@oshochem.com
- Products: Agrochemicals, veterinary products, public health solutions
- Website: www.oshochem.com
Osho Chemical Industries manufactures and distributes agrochemical and veterinary products across East Africa. It has a well-marked compound on Sasio Road, which branches off Lunga Lunga Road.
6. Unga Limited (one of Kenya's oldest food manufacturers)
- Location: Ngano House, Commercial Street, Industrial Area, Nairobi
- Phone: +254 741 666 888
- Products: Flour, animal feeds, animal health products
- Website: www.unga-group.com
Unga Limited has operated in Industrial Area since the early 1900s, making it one of Kenya's oldest active food manufacturers. Its Ngano House offices are on Commercial Street, near Unilever. The company's Unga Group website lists current products and trade partners.
5. New Kenya Co-operative Creameries Ltd (oldest dairy processor in East Africa)
- Location: Creamery House, Dakar Road, Industrial Area, Nairobi
- Phone: +254 722 203 688
- Products: Processed and packaged milk and dairy products
- Website: www.newkcc.co.ke
New KCC is the oldest and largest dairy processing company in East Africa. Its Creamery House facility on Dakar Road has been operational for generations. The company supplies milk and dairy products to retailers across Kenya.
4. Crown Paints Kenya Limited (Kenya's top paint manufacturer)
- Location: Likoni Road, Industrial Area, Nairobi
- Phone: +254 709 887 000
- Email: info@crownpaints.co.ke
- Products: Decorative paints, automotive paints, paint accessories
- Website: www.crownpaints.co.ke
Crown Paints Kenya Limited is Kenya's leading paint manufacturer. The Likoni Road factory produces decorative and automotive paints supplied across East Africa. Crown Paints is a good place to drop a CV for roles in production, quality control, and sales.
3. Nestlé Kenya Limited (Food and beverage giant)
- Location: Pate Road, Industrial Area, Nairobi (P.O. Box 30265)
- Phone: +254 703 043 000
- Email: consumers@ke.nestle.com
- Products: Food and beverage manufacturing
- Website: www.nestle-esar.com
Nestlé Kenya operates a major production facility on Pate Road. The factory manufactures food and beverage products distributed across East Africa. Job seekers can submit applications through the official Nestlé Kenya careers portal or drop a physical CV at the gate.
2. Isuzu East Africa (vehicle manufacturing)
- Location: Enterprise Road, off Mombasa Road, Industrial Area, Nairobi
- Phone: 0800 724 724 (toll-free)
- Hours: Monday–Friday, 6:30 AM–8:00 PM
- Products: Commercial vehicles, buses, and trucks
- Website: www.isuzu.co.ke
Isuzu East Africa assembles and distributes commercial vehicles across the region. Its large Enterprise Road facility is one of the most recognisable in the Industrial Area. The company regularly hires for engineering, production, and sales roles.
1. Unilever East and West Africa (FMCG market leader)
- Location: Commercial Street, Industrial Area, Nairobi
- Phone: +254 709 050 800
- Products: Food, home care, personal care, and beauty products
- Reach: East and West Africa distribution
- Website: www.unilever.com
Unilever East and West Africa is the region's largest consumer goods manufacturer. Its Commercial Street factory produces household brands sold across 15+ African markets. Unilever regularly hires for production, quality assurance, logistics, and management roles.
Other companies to drop your CV in Industrial Area, Nairobi
Beyond the top 10, the following companies in Industrial Area actively hire and accept walk-in CVs:
Company | Road/Address | Phone | Focus |
Silpack Industries Limited | 121 Likoni Road | +254 728 603 518 | Packaging |
Twiga Chemical Industries | Nanyuki Road | +254 722 207 847 | Chemicals |
Techpak Industries Ltd | Enterprise Road (Ectoville Estate) | +254 733 330 004 | Hygiene / packaging |
Manji Foods Industries | Junction Lunga Lunga & Likoni Road | +254 722 203 626 | Food manufacturing |
East African Packaging Industries | Kitui Road off Kampala Road | +254 20 395 5000 | Packaging |
Beta Healthcare International | Mogadishu Road off Lunga Lunga Road | +254 724 257 072 | Healthcare products |
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Co. (K) Ltd | Lusaka Road | 020 556455 | Pharmaceuticals |
Kenya Pipeline Company | Sekondi Road off Nanyuki Road | 020 2606500 | Oil and gas |
Alliance Garment Industries | Lunga Lunga Road | 020 553163 | Garment manufacturing |
Industrial Area lies 3–5 km southeast of Nairobi CBD, in Makadara Constituency. Several transport options connect the two:
By matatu (cheapest option)
Board a matatu at the CBD Bus Station on Accra Road. Look for vans marked "Industrial Area" or "Jogoo Road".
- Routes to use: - Line 11 / 11-2 - From GPO to Car & General - Line 33MKR / 33TP — Via Jogoo Road - Line 405 — Stops at Nyayo Stadium or Prison
- Cost: KSh 50–100 one way | Journey time: 6–15 minutes
The matatu drops you near Car & General on Enterprise Road — central to most factories. Services run every 5–10 minutes from dawn to midnight. Avoid the 7–9 AM rush when fares rise.
By ride-hailing (fastest option)
Book an Uber, Bolt, or Yandex from the CBD for KSh 400–800. The trip takes 6–10 minutes outside rush hours. Traditional metered taxis cost KSh 500–700.
On foot
The walk from the CBD is approximately 3.8 km via Jogoo Road — about 45 minutes. The route passes through Nyayo Stadium to Enterprise Road. Walk only during daylight hours; pavement coverage is limited in some sections.
By personal vehicle
Drive east along University Way, then turn onto Jogoo Road. Continue to Enterprise Road or Maasai Road depending on your destination. The drive takes 10–20 minutes and costs roughly KSh 200 in fuel for a round trip.
Interview with a manufacturing industry expert
In an exclusive interview with TUKO.co.ke, Allan Ochieng, a Manufacturing Analytics and Operational Excellence Specialist, opened up about the value that manufacturing hubs like Industrial Area bring to the economy, and the skills needed in such hubs in the tech age. Take a look.
Q: Industrial Area is more than just a series of factory gates; it is an integral part of the economic engine that supplies Nairobi with goods and creates livelihoods for thousands of people. Drawing on your experience in manufacturing operations and operational excellence, what makes a hub like this valuable to a city’s economy, and what challenges can arise when many factories are located in a densely populated urban area?
Industrial Area works well because it brings production close to the people who buy and produce goods. Nairobi is Kenya's largest consumer market, so food, beverages, packaging, steel products, plastics, and consumer goods made there reach shelves quickly, with lower freight costs and shorter lead times than goods produced farther away.
Manufacturers are also near the Central Business District, the airport, the Nairobi-Mombasa corridor, and export logistics networks—an advantage for companies exporting across the East African Community and beyond.
The economic value extends beyond the factory gate. Each manufacturing plant supports a network of transporters, packaging suppliers, engineering workshops, laboratories, spare parts dealers, canteens, and casual labourers.
Formal manufacturing jobs also typically provide structured training, ensure adherence to safety standards, and offer exposure to regulations (KEBS, NEMA, WRA, OSHA), thereby helping to improve skills across the local workforce.
There are many challenges associated with having industrial zones in densely populated cities like Nairobi and others. The challenges include, but are not limited to:
• Poor air quality: Boiler stacks, generators, vehicle exhaust, and dust contribute to air pollution that residents and workers inhale. The impact is greatest for those living or working in or near the zone.
• Machinery, overnight trucking, and food or chemical processing can affect the quality of life of nearby households through noise and odour.
• Improperly managed solid waste and effluent can enter open drains and the Nairobi River system, posing health risks downstream.
• Untreated or partially treated effluent degrades river quality through water pollution and increases the city’s water treatment costs.
• High water and power demand compete with household needs in a growing city, straining resources.
• Traffic congestion and the use of backup diesel generators increase emissions, thereby increasing the carbon footprint.
• Heavy goods vehicles share roads with commuters, slow freight, and passenger traffic, resulting in unhealthy congestion in the city.
• Time spent in traffic increases delivery costs and reduces worker productivity.
• Frequent heavy loads damage infrastructure that the city must continually repair.
• A fire, chemical spill, or explosion near dense housing can harm far more people than the same event at an isolated site.
• Narrow roads and informal structures can delay fire and rescue services by restricting emergency access.
• Many workers live far from the zone, spending hours and a significant share of their income on transport.
• Limited room to grow creates expansion limits and can push some firms to relocate to zones such as Athi River, Ruiru or Thika, taking jobs and tax revenue with them.
Q: Nairobi’s Industrial Area is home to companies involved in a wide range of activities, including food processing, vehicle assembly, packaging and consumer goods manufacturing. From an operational perspective, why do manufacturers often benefit from being located in the same industrial zone rather than in isolated locations and is this beneficial to jobseekers?
From an operational perspective, clustering reduces the cost and risk of running a plant. In practice:
- Shared suppliers and services: Packaging converters, calibration providers, maintenance contractors, testing laboratories, and raw-material distributors can serve many nearby plants, thereby keeping response times short.
- Faster problem-solving: If a machine breaks down or a packaging shortage threatens a production line, a nearby supplier can often respond the same day. Isolated plants require larger safety stocks and experience longer downtime.
- Lower logistics costs: Short distances among suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors reduce transportation costs and the amount of required inventory.
- Shared knowledge and talent: Technicians, quality staff, and supervisors move between companies, spreading best practices. Companies also benchmark informally against one another.
- Nearby infrastructure and regulatory services: Utilities, inspection services, and trade logistics are concentrated and more accessible.
For job seekers, the benefits are real, but there are caveats. A cluster brings many potential employers together in one area, allowing people to apply broadly, switch employers without relocating, and gain experience across sectors. Transport costs and commuting times are also more predictable.
However, competition for entry-level roles can be intense, many positions are filled through referrals or agencies, and a concentration of similar employers means a sector downturn can affect many people at once. I’d encourage job seekers to look beyond the headline employers to the suppliers and service companies around them, which often hire as well.
Q: As manufacturing becomes more automated and data-driven, job seekers may assume that factories require fewer people or that most available positions demand advanced technical qualifications. Drawing on your experience in production, quality control, and manufacturing analytics, what roles are actually needed to keep a factory running efficiently that still depend heavily on human judgement and practical skills?
Automation changes the nature of work more than it eliminates the need for people. In my experience, even a plant with advanced equipment still needs people to do the following:
- Machine operators and line leaders: Machines run well only when someone spots early signs of drift, such as an unusual sound, a faulty-looking seal, or a product that feels different. Operators who understand the process—not just the buttons—are hard to replace.
- Maintenance technicians (mechanical, electrical, instrumentation): Smarter equipment requires more skilled maintenance, not less. Fault diagnosis, root cause analysis, and preventive maintenance all depend on hands-on skills.
- Quality control and quality assurance staff: Sensory evaluation, sampling, laboratory testing, hygiene inspections, audit readiness, and decisions to hold, rework, or release a batch all require trained judgment and accountability. Data can inform these decisions, but a person must own them—especially in food safety under Good Manufacturing Practices and HACCP.
- Production supervisors: Managing people, handling shift handovers, solving daily problems, and keeping teams safe and motivated require human skills that no tool can replace.
- Warehouse, logistics, and materials handling staff: Receiving, storage control, first-in, first-out discipline, and accurate dispatch directly affect costs and compliance.
- Health, safety, and environment officers: Hazard identification, incident investigation, and training depend on being present on the floor and having credibility with staff.
- Data-literate floor roles: Accurate, honest, and timely data entry is the foundation of any analytics effort. Poor data from the floor leads to poor decisions downstream. If data collection is not automated, people must still do it properly.
One important caveat: automation and digital systems will reduce demand for repetitive manual work in some plants, and more roles will require basic digital skills. The job mix is changing, but skilled human workers remain essential.
Q: For a young person in Kenya looking for a job in the Industrial Area, the most important question may be not just which employer to approach, but also which skills could lead to a sustainable career in manufacturing. As the industry adopts smarter equipment, data analytics and more efficient production systems, what steps can school leavers, technical college graduates, and those looking to change careers take to become employable in the tech age?
Depending on a person's starting point, my advice for getting a role in a rapidly changing manufacturing environment would vary slightly, but the underlying principles remain the same. For school leavers, my advice would be:
- Start in an entry-level production, warehouse, or packing role to see how a factory operates, and treat it as a stepping stone, not the final destination.
- While working or shortly afterwards, pursue a TVET certificate or diploma in a relevant trade, such as mechanical or electrical work, industrial maintenance, or food technology.
- Develop basic digital skills, especially spreadsheet skills, because most plants use spreadsheets to record production and quality data.
For technical college graduates:
- Pursue industrial attachments and apprenticeships, as employers value proven practical skills as well as certificates.
- Learn key sector terminologies, including GMP, HACCP, ISO 9001, ISO 22000, 5S, lean fundamentals, and preventive maintenance.
- Earn short certifications in areas such as PLC basics, industrial safety, quality auditing, or lean and Six Sigma fundamentals.
For career changers:
- Identify transferable skills or strengths—such as discipline, record-keeping, supervision, customer service, or technical repair—and match them to factory roles.
- Begin with a short course and an entry-level role, then advance by demonstrating reliability.
For everyone:
- Learn to interpret and use data. Tracking output, defects, downtime, and waste in a spreadsheet is a practical first step; tools like Power BI or basic Python can come later. Understanding what the numbers mean on the shop floor matters more than software skills alone.
- Develop continuous improvement habits: ask why problems happen, document them, and test solutions.
- Build reliability, safety discipline, and communication skills. In my experience, these factors often determine who gets promoted more than qualifications do.
- Be realistic about the market: competition is real, and persistence, networking, and a willingness to start at the bottom of the ladder matter.
As factories become smarter, workers who thrive are those who pair hands-on process knowledge with confidence using data. People from many educational backgrounds can build this combination, as long as they keep learning.
FAQ
Which are the top manufacturing companies in Industrial Area, Nairobi?
The top manufacturing companies in Industrial Area, Nairobi include Unilever East and West Africa, Isuzu East Africa, Nestlé Kenya, Crown Paints Kenya Limited, and New Kenya Co-operative Creameries. These companies manufacture consumer goods, vehicles, paints, food products, and dairy across East Africa.
How do I get to Industrial Area from Nairobi CBD?
Take a matatu from the CBD Bus Station on Accra Road. Use routes 11, 33MKR, 33TP, or 405 marked "Industrial Area" or "Jogoo Road." The fare is KSh 50–100, and the trip takes 6–15 minutes. Alternatively, use Uber or Bolt for KSh 400–800.
Which companies in Industrial Area are hiring?
Many companies in Industrial Area hire regularly, including Unilever, Isuzu East Africa, Nestlé Kenya, Crown Paints, and Kartasi Industries. Job seekers can drop CVs directly at company gates during weekday working hours (8 AM–5 PM) or apply online via company websites.
What industries are found in Industrial Area, Nairobi?
Industrial Area hosts companies in food and beverage manufacturing, chemicals and agrochemicals, paints and coatings, dairy processing, vehicle assembly, plastics, packaging, pharmaceuticals, paper manufacturing, and energy. It is the largest single concentration of industries in Nairobi.
Which roads are in Industrial Area, Nairobi?
The main roads in Industrial Area include Enterprise Road, Likoni Road, Lunga Lunga Road, Commercial Street, Dakar Road, Nanyuki Road, Lusaka Road, Kampala Road, Sasio Road, Pate Road, and Mogadishu Road. Most factories are found along Enterprise Road and Lunga Lunga Road.
The list of companies in Industrial Area spans major manufacturing firms and a diverse labor market. This hub provides vast employment opportunities across technical, engineering, and entry-level roles. It is also easy to access the area using different routes and means of transport.
Tuko.co.ke also lists NGOs offering attachments in Kenya and how to apply. NGOs are known for giving learners great job-hunting skills while equipping them with out-of-the-classroom knowledge.
Eligibility varies by organisation. Some opportunities target current students, while others accept recent graduates or applicants with specific academic backgrounds. Follow the above link to explore available options.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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