{"id":3774,"date":"2026-11-03T22:10:47","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T03:10:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vr-news.net\/?p=3774"},"modified":"2026-11-03T22:10:47","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T03:10:47","slug":"chinese-technology-powers-kenyas-packaging-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vr-news.net\/?p=3774","title":{"rendered":"<div>Chinese technology powers Kenya&#8217;s packaging industry<\/div>"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><video src=\"https:\/\/videoaf.cgtn.com\/news\/2026-11-02\/Chinese-technology-powers-Kenya-s-packaging-industry-1RK6QxTOeRO\/video\/wu_1k6di9rlv1j036ae5cnq4bn70a\/wu_1k6di9rlv1j036ae5cnq4bn70a.m3u8\" poster=\"https:\/\/videoaf.cgtn.com\/news\/2026-11-02\/Chinese-technology-powers-Kenya-s-packaging-industry-1RK6QxTOeRO\/video\/wu_1k6di9rlv1j036ae5cnq4bn70a\/wu_1k6di9rlv1j036ae5cnq4bn70a.png\"><\/video><\/p>\n<p>As manufacturers and buyers gather for the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in China, Chinese industrial technology is transforming production thousands of kilometers away in Africa.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In Kenya&#8217;s lakeside city of Kisumu, Chinese-made machinery is helping local manufacturers improve efficiency, expand production and meet growing demand for packaging materials.<\/p>\n<p>From food processing and agriculture to pharmaceuticals and retail, packaging plays a vital role in protecting products, preserving quality and connecting manufacturers with consumers.<\/p>\n<p>At IBS Pack Prints, a packaging company established in 2023, Chinese technology is driving efforts to strengthen local manufacturing and support businesses across western Kenya.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/newsaf.cgtn.com\/news\/2026-11-02\/Chinese-technology-powers-Kenya-s-packaging-industry-1RK6QxTOeRO\/img\/3f92e9aea97140db8b295aa670289b00\/3f92e9aea97140db8b295aa670289b00.jpeg\" alt=\"Packaging machines at IBS Pack Prints in Kisumu, Kenya, November 2, 2026. \/CGTN Africa\"><\/p>\n<p><i><strong>Chinese machinery drives local production<\/strong><\/i><\/p>\n<p>IBS Pack Prints was established to address a shortage of packaging suppliers in western Kenya, a region with numerous tea factories, bakeries and agricultural processing businesses.<\/p>\n<p>Beatrice Omari, the company&#8217;s administration director, says the investment was intended to bring packaging production closer to manufacturers in the Nyanza and Western regions.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The director had a vision of polythene packaging because, in this region, we only have one in Eldoret, so we wanted to ensure at least this side is covered,&#8221; Omari said.<\/p>\n<p>Today, Chinese machinery forms the backbone of the factory&#8217;s operations, handling printing, processing and cutting of packaging materials.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Actually, 99% of the machines are from China. Also, the raw materials are from China, like CPP and PET,&#8221; Omari said, adding that other materials are sourced from Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n<p>The cooperation extends beyond equipment supply. Chinese engineers traveled to Kenya to install and commission the machinery, ensuring production systems were operational before handing them over to local workers.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;They shipped the machines and also sent their mechanical engineers, who installed every machine and ensured the machines were working before they left the country,&#8221; she explained.<\/p>\n<p>The investment has strengthened local production capacity while reducing the need for businesses in the region to source all their packaging from distant suppliers.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/newsaf.cgtn.com\/news\/2026-11-02\/Chinese-technology-powers-Kenya-s-packaging-industry-1RK6QxTOeRO\/img\/e2be7216ec76434086d6dc31e7c5d90f\/e2be7216ec76434086d6dc31e7c5d90f.jpeg\" alt=\"Manufacturing plant at IBS Pack Prints in Kisumu, Kenya, November 2, 2026. \/CGTN Africa\"><\/p>\n<p><i><strong>Automation improves efficiency and skills<\/strong><\/i><\/p>\n<p>Inside the factory, machines print, process, and cut packaging materials as workers monitor production and inspect finished products.<\/p>\n<p>The technology has automated tasks previously performed manually, helping improve efficiency and production consistency.<\/p>\n<p>Eric Onyango, the company&#8217;s Production Manager, says modern machinery has transformed daily operations.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Nowadays, you just switch on the machine, and the knife will cut. So, that makes work easier, unlike before when we did our work manually,&#8221; Onyango said.<\/p>\n<p>However, operating advanced equipment requires technical knowledge, particularly when handling different packaging materials and maintaining production systems.<\/p>\n<p>Onyango traveled to China in 2025 to acquire additional machinery as the company sought to expand its operations.<\/p>\n<p>His experience reflects the growing importance of technical cooperation in helping African manufacturers adopt modern industrial technology.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/newsaf.cgtn.com\/news\/2026-11-02\/Chinese-technology-powers-Kenya-s-packaging-industry-1RK6QxTOeRO\/img\/4f5af5668a724e33afb3650f35fc922d\/4f5af5668a724e33afb3650f35fc922d.jpeg\" alt=\"Workers at IBS Pack Prints Machines in Kisumu, Kenya, November 2, 2026. \/CGTN Africa\"><\/p>\n<p>Beyond improving productivity, such investments create opportunities for workers to develop skills in machine operation, maintenance and quality control.<\/p>\n<p><i><strong>Packaging strengthens manufacturing value chains<\/strong><\/i><\/p>\n<p>Although packaging is often the final stage of production, it plays a critical role in determining how products reach consumers.<\/p>\n<p>For food processors, it helps preserve quality and protect goods during transportation. For manufacturers and retailers, packaging strengthens branding and product identification.<\/p>\n<p>Henry Koskey, Assistant Branch Manager at Kipchimatt, a retail business in western Kenya, says packaging helps consumers distinguish products from competing brands.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Packaging identifies items from one manufacturer to another and one company to another,&#8221; Koskey said.<\/p>\n<p>He cited tea and sugar products from the Kipchimchim Group of Companies as examples of how packaging supports brand recognition.<\/p>\n<p>IBS Pack Prints supplies packaging for bread, tea, sugar, water, ice cream, ice pops and beans, alongside materials used by hospitals and pharmaceutical businesses.<\/p>\n<p>The diversity of its customers highlights the industry&#8217;s contribution to agriculture, food processing, healthcare and retail.<\/p>\n<p>As Kenya expands local manufacturing and agricultural value addition, reliable packaging will remain essential for businesses seeking to access wider markets.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/newsaf.cgtn.com\/news\/2026-11-02\/Chinese-technology-powers-Kenya-s-packaging-industry-1RK6QxTOeRO\/img\/7a7433387dd94722a173832b194eba00\/7a7433387dd94722a173832b194eba00.jpeg\" alt=\"Henry Koskey, assistant branch manager at Kipchimatt, a retail business in Kericho, Kenya, November 2, 2026. \/CGTN Africa\"><\/p>\n<p><i><strong>Challenges and opportunities for growth<\/strong><\/i><\/p>\n<p>Despite technological advances, packaging manufacturers face challenges, including high equipment costs, imported raw materials and unreliable electricity supply.<\/p>\n<p>At IBS Pack Prints, power interruptions can disrupt production and force operators to restart machinery.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The challenges we are facing mostly occur when there is a power surge. This machine has been made in a way that when the power goes out, everything stops,&#8221; Onyango explained.<\/p>\n<p>Such disruptions can delay production and increase operating costs, underscoring the importance of reliable infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, demand for packaging continues to create opportunities for industrial investment.<\/p>\n<p>For Kenyan businesses, access to Chinese machinery offers opportunities to modernize production, develop technical skills and strengthen manufacturing capacity.<\/p>\n<p>In Kisumu, IBS Pack Prints illustrates how China-Africa trade links are translating into practical industrial development.<\/p>\n<p>As Kenya seeks to expand manufacturing and add value to locally produced goods, packaging is emerging as an important link between technology, production and market access.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As manufacturers and buyers gather for the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in China, Chinese industrial technology is transforming production thousands of kilometers away in Africa.\u00a0 In Kenya&#8217;s lakeside city of Kisumu, Chinese-made machinery is helping local manufacturers improve efficiency, expand production and meet growing demand for packaging materials. From food processing and agriculture to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":3775,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-noticias"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vr-news.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vr-news.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vr-news.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vr-news.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vr-news.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3774"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vr-news.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3774\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vr-news.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3775"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vr-news.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vr-news.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vr-news.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}