Tarpo Industries listed in BCCK’s Integrity Index

BCCK Business Integrity Index

November 11, 2021, Nairobi, Kenya… Tarpo Industries Limited, a manufacturer of temporary shelter solutions, is listed as a company committed to  integrity in the inaugural Integrity Index by the British Chamber of Commerce Kenya (BCCK). The Index features companies based in Kenya, that have a track record in working with integrity with multinational organisations and BCCK members.

The Index is part of the Business Integrity Initiative (BII) pilot programme, which is run by BCCK in partnership with the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the UK Department for International Trade (DIT) and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in Kenya. The BII provides practical guidance on navigating integrity challenges and provides a range of platforms to increase peer-to-
peer private sector engagement. It also works with the Kenyan authorities to promote improvements to local market conditions.

“Operating with integrity is about consistently doing the right thing ethically. Being recognised on the Index is an external recognition of our culture of integrity and lays a foundation of trust and credibility for anyone who wishes to do business with us.” says Asim Shah, Director at Tarpo Industries Limited.

The Index features 28 companies that completed the nomination and self-assessment process. They are drawn from across 10 different sectors and vary in size from three to 3,000 employees. Companies were assessed on their track record of working with UK and International companies, as well as their documented policies and procedures.

The BCCK has also launched a report on the Index, which details the practical measures being taken by companies on the Index. These are all linked to the BII’s six integrity principles: proportionate procedures, top level commitment, risk assessment, due diligence, communication and training, monitoring and review.

Farida Abbas, CEO, BCCK says, “We are excited to recognise efforts that these companies are making to run ethical and trusted businesses. We hope that this Index will provide long term benefits to all the featured companies. A listing on the Index is external recognition of the efforts being made to run a trusted and ethical business. We aim to prove that ethical business pays. So, we will be signposting these businesses to any UK organisations looking to partner with Kenya-based companies.”

END

Exterior aesthetics of your house matter

Exterior aesthetics of your house matter

Of course, the exterior of a house matters a lot, especially if you are a person who values making a good first impression.

It is what sets the tone for the rest of the house. For your home to make a statement and radiate all the vibes you want, go for appealing and simple designs. For example, using neutral colours on the walls gives you a minimalist and chic look.

I am not against colour as it all depends on what you are going for. Your gate design should match the style of your home but will ultimately rely on your taste and needs.

Wrought iron is simple, elegant and unique. Going for a modern minimalist exterior is a good idea because it is a design that maximizes open spaces to achieve simplicity in form and function.

Pergola shade by Tarpo Industries

You can always change your cushion covers to your liking every few months to keep the spark alive! However, white or gray upholstery contrasts well with the dark furniture to give the place a more voguish and trendy look. It is also important to consider the materials the cushions are made of because different materials are better outdoors. You can go for a striped acrylic canvas that is resistant to scratches and stretching. It is also soft and easy to clean.

Outdoor spaces also require some TLC.

When thinking about outdoor furniture go for high-quality materials that can tolerate the harsh weather conditions outside as well as fitting your expectation and needs.

You are allowed to play with colours because the goal is to have an exterior that also blends with your interior. For the seating area one lounging sofa, two chairs and a coffee table is perfect.

Good quality rattan preferably in a dark color will make the place more pleasant. The furniture will match a wooden pergola that has been accessorized with acrylic canvas to provide some shade while still allowing some sun in.

Back Yard PAtio By Tarpo Industries
Pergo Car Shade By Tarpo Industries

The car shade should be simple but captivating to strike a balance with the aesthetic of the house. When thinking of a car shade in Kenya, you need to invest in something that is functional and provides versatility.

Upgrade your drive-way by going for a square shaped wooden pergola that matches the one at the seating area. Always choose a design that compliments those that are already there. Your pergola does not need to look traditional and boring. Elevate the structure with a green roof to make it unique and stylish. Being shaded by nature is incredibly beautiful. Alternatively, a waterproof cover would do.

Adding lights can boost your outdoor ambience and make you feel safer at night. String lighting will take your house parties to next level as they make your space more friendly and warm.

There are waterproof ones so you do not need to worry about the rain. You can use flowers to add some color.

Work with vases or mini pots to exude a calming effect. In order to get a captivating visual appeal, go for simple paving details and patterns that are more natural looking to blend in with the surrounding flowers. The end goal is to have the house of your dreams that is functional and comfortable

Getting the right fundi

Posted by Asim on Aug 11, 2020 2:43:46 PM

Choose an expert for your shade project

shade systems Kenya

Getting the right technician (fundi in Swahili) for your project is just as important as getting the right materials

There are people who settle on buying materials first and then finding a fundi while others choose to use a professional fundi from the place they get the materials. The latter is a better idea than the former for many reasons.

 

Professional fundis always understand the manner in which materials are handled, stored and used for the required task. If you use a fundi from the place that you purchase your materials from, you benefit from their vast expertise and network.

sail Shade by Tarpo Industries

Working with experts translates to risk mitigation for safety and brings professionalism as well.

Most installation projects involve sharp objects, working on ladders and tools that might be dangerous if used incorrectly.

It is only an expert who will help in preventing accidents that can occur from unprofessional handling of materials and tools. Some installations might seem simple but tiny mistakes can cause big problems some of which are irreversible.

It is better when the fundi is from the same company you get the materials from because they also understand the products better.

Have you ever asked yourself how much you could save in time and money if you used experts for your entire project? Often companies give discounts to clients that choose to use their full service.

Experts also offer advice for maintenance of the project being constructed or installed.

Experienced fundis who specialize in shade solution installations have broad knowledge.

Some projects require site visits that enable the fundis to make better material decisions. If a person chooses one company to purchase materials and hire the installer from, they are bound to learn a lot from them.

These professionals offer invaluable information that independent contractors may not have. Utilize the opportunity and learn different things about your materials, their usage and above all, maintenance and safety.

PVC Sail Shade Canopy By Tarpo Indstries 3

Most of us have hectic days and an opportunity to maximize efficiency while saving money brings peace of mind when investing in projects that require fabrication.

You do not have to worry about finding fundis to complete your project after buying materials that you have little knowledge about. When you work with professionals from the company, you are assured of efficiency and quality work. Reliability goes hand in hand with efficiency and reputation.

Fundis from the company you buy the materials from rescue you from dealing with unprofessional people that will waste your precious time when trying to outsource.

For example, a company that supplies shade netting for different functions aligns its workforce with the quality that they offer. You are assured of trustworthiness from them as opposed to seeking help from fundis outside the company. Honestly, going cheap on fabrication and installation is often not a good idea.

It is necessary to consider everything involved and to seek professional assistance when making this decision.

Emergency Mobile Hospitals for COVID-19

Posted by Asim on Apr 6, 2020, 11:44:23 AM

Emergency Mobile Hospitals

Since the first case of COVID-19 in Kenya was announced in mid-March Tarpo has been offering our expertise in rapid deployment of emergency response field hospitals.

Our clients who work in remote area operations are having to bring their work stations to urban areas while a few private hospitals are navigating the compromises they are going to need to make as they expand their capacities temporarily, to make the best out of worst case scenarios.

Emergecy hospitals by Tarpo Industries

Working Together

At Tarpo we’ve been involved in mobile hospitals and semi-permanent camp deployment for NGO’s, militaries and the mining sector for over 20 years, mainly on the African continent. We’ve worked together with our clients to deploy solutions that are unique for the needs of African terrains, climates and end-users. The key words here are that we’ve worked together.

A lot of people (read: procurement departments of private hospitals) have reached out saying “we need tents to deal with this emergency”. But that isn’t even the half of it. That’s why we’re sharing extracts of the collaborative approach we are part of, and leading on in some cases, in field hospital deployment in the context of COVID-19. This is not a perfect approach by any means because the disease has a velocity that the world is struggling to predict and we are dealing with a much wider demographic in high density locations. The template borrows heavily from our experience in military camp deployments in remote areas.

 

  1. Identify the medical priorities that are to be dealt with. Triage, symptomatic relief, diagnosis, recovery, quarantine, intensive care, surgical etc. Given the speed at which we must deploy we cannot do all of those in one go. One of our clients is working on a ‘respiratory illnesses only’ hospital to handle only patients suspected of COVID-19.
  2. Identify the capacity and layout of the hospital based on the medical priorities being dealt with. This includes patient movement, medical staff movement, vehicles, external service provision involving fuel, water, food, waste removal, biohazard management. The layout must allow efficient operations while maintaining the hygiene and quarantine requirements for those who come into contact with patients. This then creates additional resource requirements – medical staff must be accommodated within the camp. They are likely to be there for an indefinite period of time and so living quarters must enable them to live a comfortable life and perform at optimal levels. The respiratory illnesses hospital will have the capacity for 200 patients at various stages of the illness and this will equate to roughly 600 medical workers living on site.
  3. Capacities and priorities dictate resource requirements. For example, how many medical workers are required for a 5-bed ward? If we have 20 wards is that multiplied by X or are we able to gain economies of scale? How about if 5 of those wards are for intensive care? So we are calculating water, food, fuel, waste removal etc requirements for a Y number of patients and Z number of medical workers.
  4. Modern emergency medicine relies heavily on power. Ventilators require electricity and so 100% uptime is necessary. Generators, uninterrupted power supply, cabling, sockets, lighting are all required. What is the power demand of the hospital machinery? What kind of redundancy are we designing into this localised power grid? How reliable is the local electricity provider and how quickly can they connect us to the wider grid?
  5. Ablution facilities need clean water supply and waste removal. Do we do this per ward or centrally? Over ground or underground? Is there water supply on site and if not, how are we bringing this in? What kind of quantities are we looking at and how do we store it? Do we need to purify it after it arrives on site?
  6. What is the location of this hospital? And the ground condition? Are we close enough to an urban area to make external services cost effective? Do we need to prepare the ground in a particular way? Do we have the time to prepare it and if yes how do we do that?
  7. What are the communication and transport links like? Road access needs to be considered and do our medical priorities require us to also have aircraft access of some kind close by? How do we communicate internally in the hospital as well as externally?

That’s a summary of some of the questions and challenges that we are trying to answer, iteratively for some projects. Costs are a major influencer on the solution that is being put together and they need to consider the upfront cost of establishing the hospital but also the daily operating costs.

Emergency-temporary hospital by Tarpo Industries

How is Tarpo involved?

Many will be reading this wondering how Tarpo comes into such a project. Well we are a temporary shelter solutions provider and so we design, specify and propose the shelter aspects of this which have their own interconnectedness. Take the example of a hospital tent – does it need a floor or not? If not, will the hospitals beds be able to move on the ground if it’s not concrete? If it needs a groundsheet what kind of disinfection methods and chemicals will be suitable and safe? How do we bring the electric cables into the ward – along the frame of the tent, along the sides or underground? What provision does the design need to make for the cables? Perhaps we don’t know right now but we need to deploy quickly so we fabricate with an assumption that all possibilities are highly likely.

Our secondary involvement is in the accommodation aspects for medical workers so that they are able to rest in comfort and continue to perform at their best for as long as we need them to. We have long-term lease options available for all our accommodation equipment allowing hospitals to scale up and down as the needs require.

We do all of this with compassion for humanity, especially at a time like this when we are realising that we only have each other during this disaster.

44 years young!

Tarpo turns 44 years old

It started with 2 machines. And 44 years later we are at 200 machines. It’s hard to imagine what they were doing in 1975 if 2 machines is the minimum that goes into our fabrication process now!

tarpo industries since the 80's

We’ve been reading some of the stories that our customers have been sending in about their experience with us over the years and it has been humbling to see a recurring theme where our desire to solve a problem appropriately to completion has been recognised. Tarpo was founded on the ethics of doing things right and in our 5th decade we are still ruled by that principle.

I think what fascinates me given the times we live in with all the technology and information around us is that at the end of the day a human must still conceptualise the products we make and a team of multi-skilled people will come together to fabricate that product. Machines are still tools in our industry – they haven’t taken away jobs.

Even more fascinating is that more than 20 of our team have been with us for over 10 years and some of those have been with the company since the 1980’s!

So, as I’m writing this, I’m contemplating that perhaps Tarpo is actually a people company with a tent problem. These people are obsessed with consistently redefining quality, of facing challenges, of exploring new ways of doing things and having fun, together.

Anyone who gets to a certain age and can look back at a long list of accolades and achievements knows that it has taken hard work to get there. There is unspoken sacrifice, heartbreak, moments where giving up looks like the best option but there is also a heritage or legacy to protect and a dream to strive towards.

  • Tarpo’s legacy has been to pioneer tented camps across East Africa to allow these countries to position themselves as premium safari tourism destinations – the safari industry is now in the list of top foreign exchange earners for all the East African countries.
  • Tarpo’s legacy has also been to respond quickly to the needs of humanitarian relief agencies who react to emergencies like the Ebola outbreak in West Africa or the famine in East Africa – our ability to respond quickly and consistently has been the difference between life and death for thousands of people who are affected by disaster.
  • Tarpo’s legacy has been to introduce premium fabrics that align with our philosophy of quality and durability in everything we do – we proudly partner with the world’s best fabric manufacturers whether they are from Germany, France, South Africa or India – allowing us to offer new and exciting products.
  • Tarpo’s legacy is also about the things that our customers don’t see. For example, we’ve used computers in our business since the beginning – Tarpo had a Commodore 64 for bookkeeping in 1982!

We’ve been through thick and thin to ensure we do the right thing. We’ve had an impact on an entire industry and entire populations. We’re pioneers and we dare to do things different.

Tarpo People Photoshoot
Happy Birthday To Us!

Here’s a snapshot of our journey so far- we hope it inspires you!

History Info graphics For Tarpo Industries
History Info graphics For Tarpo Industries 2