Article
"We exist because of Grundfos"
...working with Grundfos keeps us on our toes and forces us to have high standards in everything we do, too. We exist because of Grundfos.
Akvo International is a Ugandan irrigation and solar pumping company that emphasises reliable, durable solutions. Its CEO wants to conquer new markets in East Africa — and he wants to grow his business with Grundfos.
”Who does not want to work with the world leader? Grundfos sets the standards in the business.”
The words fall easy and naturally from Victor Kazimiri, CEO of Akvo International, a private irrigation and solar pumping company in Uganda, when he talks about his history with Grundfos. He has collaborated with Grundfos for several years now – initially while working in other companies and more recently at Akvo International, which he founded in 2019.
Akvo International is a Ugandan irrigation and solar pumping company that emphasises reliable, durable solutions.
“We want to be leaders in our field ourselves, and I would like to grow this business quickly so working with Grundfos keeps us on our toes and forces us to have high standards in everything we do, too. We exist because of Grundfos.”
Selling solutions
It is no secret that Grundfos is not the cheapest manufacturer in the global water industry, but for Victor Kazimiri this is not an issue.
“I like high-value products that are durable. Of course, price matters. It matters to everyone, but I do not believe in selling by price alone. I very much believe in quality, durability and securing solutions that last for a long time, and I get this with Grundfos,” he says.
“One element I really appreciate about working with Grundfos is that our cooperation runs so smoothly. We get efficient and quick support and sales training from the Kenyan office.”
He explains that Grundfos has a professional, efficient process workflow, from ordering pumps to taking delivery of them, and that Grundfos has simple solutions that support Akvo International in most situations.
"Often, we work in remote areas with limited infrastructure, but whether we need to extract ground water for an irrigation project or are building infrastructure to provide water access in a rural community, we can benefit from Grundfos’ wide product range. And it can even be more complicated than this.”
Kazimiri is a firm believer in Grundfos products, technology and innovation, especially with its heightened focus on solar pumping.
“This is indeed very interesting for us because there is a new and unpenetrated market in Uganda, which is also supported by the government. And yes, all of this comes with a cost, but this is better for everyone in the long run.”
Growing his business with Grundfos
Kazimiri is keen to expand Akvo International in cooperation with Grundfos in the coming years, and believes the relationship between the two companies can be strengthened even more.
Akvo International
- Headquarters in Kampala, Uganda.
- 5 branches in Uganda and 1 in South Sudan and 1 in Kenya.
- Wishes to expand to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Burundi by 2025.
- Founded in 2019 and employs about 50 people.
“From my end I would like to tighten the partnership more, and I think we – Grundfos as well – could benefit from having better support in product service and marketing. So even though I market Grundfos with pride and confidence, there is still potential for improvement. I am positive that this will happen,” he says.
“In our region we want to be the customers’ first choice when it comes to water and energy solutions, so I believe the ambition levels of our two companies are a good fit,” he says.
By 2025 Kazmiri wants Akvo International to have expanded to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda.
“I see the whole of East Africa as one market and it is huge. Especially the irrigation market, which is new and possesses a huge potential,” he says.
“We have just started. We have very ambitious goals.”