Aiden K 
Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), in partnership with the Kaizen Institute East and West Africa has kicked off the 19th Annual Kaizen Congress, which shall run until tomorrow. Since the inception of the KAM–Kaizen program in 2005, it has played a crucial role in helping local industries adopt Kaizen practices.
For the past 18 years, KAM has been a strong advocate for the Kaizen methodology and has consistently partnered with Kaizen Institute Africa. Now, in our 19th year of collaboration, we remain committed to driving continuous improvement through this transformative approach.
During the opening session, KAM Vice Chairperson Mr Hitesh Mediratta reiterated that continuous improvement is an ongoing process. He noted that organizations are always seeking ways to be better, emphasizing that quality, productivity, and profitability are inseparable and essential for making service operations efficient.
Mr Mediratta also stressed that while companies often focus on gaining a competitive advantage, it is equally important for them to embrace collaborative advantage. By doing so, they can learn best practices from their peers and improve their processes, ultimately leading to greater sustainability and enhanced performance.
KAM Chief Executive Anthony Mwangi highlighted KAM’s ongoing engagement with the government and other stakeholders to achieve the national goal of a 20% contribution to GDP from the manufacturing sector by 2030. He emphasized that firm-level competitiveness is critical to this effort, as it involves companies enhancing their capacity to innovate, improve operational efficiencies, and adopt advanced technologies.
These improvements not only enable companies to add value to their products and services but also streamline processes, reduce costs, and enhance their competitiveness in both local and international markets.
Participants also engaged in training sessions and knowledge exchanges focused on the Kaizen methodology, addressing different aspects of continuous improvement across industries.
These sessions covered a wide range of topics, including process optimization, waste reduction, lean management, and employee empowerment.By addressing various aspects of continuous improvement, these trainings provided participants with practical tools and insights to apply Kaizen principles within their respective industries.
