FedEx, Kenya Association of Manufacturers—A commitment to powering Kenya’s manufacturing and trade ambitions

Brainstorming and workshop sessions are often organized for exchange of ideas and essentially for knowledge and information sharing and gathering and especially where new research findings and reports are shared and debated and even analysed. Such events often prove quite rewarding to participants and delegates in addition to providing room for effective breaks from offices and work schedule routines that can at times prove monotonous.

Guided by these realities, Federal Express Corporation (FedEx), one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, in collaboration with Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), convened a high-level Industry CEOs Breakfast, highlighting how time-definite logistics can unlock Kenya’s manufacturing growth and export competitiveness, it was revealed in Nairobi, Kenya on April 28th, 2026. 

The engagement came at a pivotal moment for Kenya’s industrial sector, as the country seeks to increase manufacturing’s contribution to GDP from 7.3 per cent (KNBS, 2025) to 20 per cent by 2030. As global supply chains continue to evolve alongside shifting logistics cost dynamics, industry leaders underscored the importance of enhancing the speed, reliability, and integration of transport solutions.

Remarkably, the forum gathered senior executives, policymakers, and logistics experts to examine how Kenya can strengthen her position in time-sensitive, high-value industries such as pharmaceuticals, automotive, electronics, and agribusiness among others.

At the session opening moment, KAM Chief Executive Tobias Alando indicated that the on-going geopolitical tensions are already placing significant strain on manufacturers, increasing the cost of trade and disrupting established supply routes.

 “Global dynamics continue to affect the manufacturing sector in Kenya. Beyond global developments, structural factors within the logistics ecosystem, such as regulatory requirements and infrastructure capacity, play a role in shaping the competitiveness of locally manufactured goods in regional and international markets,” Mr. Alando observed.

In the midst of the serious conversations at the event, FedEx’s Managing Director of Sales for Sub-Saharan Africa at FedEx, Mr Leon Bruwer, reaffirmed the company’s long-term commitment to Kenya, a Nation that has been designated as one of only nine direct-serve markets in Africa. “Our commitment to Kenya reflects a strategic focus on the country’s trade and investment potential,” he affirmed.

Further, he averred that Kenya is a strategic player in FedEx growth story in Africa.                     “Our continued investment in capacity to and from Nairobi, combined with our global air network, enables businesses to access international markets with greater speed, reliability and predictability,” he added.

Kenya’s strong global position in perishable exports such as tea and flowers already demonstrates the value of speed and reliability in logistics. As the country expands into higher-value manufacturing, precision logistics – enabled by integrated global air networks – will become increasingly central to maintaining product integrity, reducing lead times, and enabling adherence in meeting international market demands.

However, stakeholders noted that while air freight offers unmatched speed and reliability, there exists many opportunities for policymakers and industry players to further enhance air freight accessibility and commercial viability for SMEs (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprise) across African trade routes.

Notably, FedEx is also enhancing cross-border trade through digital solutions and streamlined customs processes, enabling Kenyan businesses, particularly SMEs, to navigate international logistics more efficiently and to scale globally.

At the forum’s end, there was a shared commitment from FedEx and KAM to deepen collaboration in support of Kenya’s manufacturing ecosystem, with a focus on enhancing global connectivity, improving access to efficient logistics solutions, and enabling businesses to participate more competitively in international trade.

Definitely, FedEx (the Federal Express Corporation) remains one of the world’s largest express- transportation companies. It provides fast and reliable delivery to more than 220 countries and territories globally. FedEx uses a global air-and-ground network to speed up delivery of time-sensitive shipments by a definite time and date.

On the other hand, the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) remains the leading voice and representative of manufacturing and value-add industries in Kenya since its establishment in 1959. KAM is a dynamic, vibrant, credible organization that unites industrialists and offers a common voice for businesses. The Association’s key role is to advance a favourable policy environment for the manufacturing industry to achieve global competitiveness in addition to providing demand-driven services and support to manufacturing. The Association represents over 1,300 companies classified in 14 different sectors. Additionally, KAM has 7 regional offices across the country. {Ends}.