MOMBASA, Kenya — Kenya is set to begin local production of pharmaceutical glass containers next month following the completion of a new manufacturing plant at the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone (SEZ), a move expected to reduce reliance on imported medicine bottles and strengthen the country’s pharmaceutical manufacturing sector.
The Milly Glass SEZ factory, developed by the Milly Group of Companies, will manufacture medical-grade glass packaging for pharmaceutical companies in Kenya and the wider East African region.
Speaking during an investment inspection tour led by Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui, Milly Glass SEZ Director Mohamed Rashid said the facility is expected to commence commercial production next month.
Unlike most glass manufacturers in the region, which largely supply bottles for the food and beverage industry, the Dongo Kundu plant will specialise in pharmaceutical glass containers currently imported mainly from India.
“Most pharmaceutical companies operating in Kenya rely on imported glass bottles, which increases production costs and lead times,” Rashid said. “Local manufacturing will improve supply reliability while reducing dependence on imports.”
The company projects daily production of approximately 300,000 pharmaceutical glass bottles, targeting manufacturers in Kenya as well as export markets including Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.
According to Rashid, Kenya currently imports about 25 containers of pharmaceutical glass bottles every month, valued at roughly KSh60 million, creating an opportunity for local manufacturers to substitute imports while supporting regional demand.
The factory is expected to directly employ about 300 workers, with an estimated 200 additional jobs expected to be created across transport, logistics, packaging and raw material supply chains.
The company also projects that more than 100 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) will benefit through business opportunities linked to the facility.
Rashid said the project was conceived after pharmaceutical manufacturers expressed the need for a domestic supplier of medical-grade glass packaging. The plant is equipped with manufacturing technology sourced from Germany, Italy and Switzerland.
Beyond meeting domestic demand, the company expects exports to contribute to Kenya’s foreign exchange earnings while supporting the country’s ambition to become a regional pharmaceutical manufacturing hub.
The investment is the Milly Group’s second major manufacturing project in Kenya after establishing a juice processing factory in Malindi earlier this year.
Supporting Kenya’s Industrialisation Agenda
The project adds to a growing number of manufacturing investments at the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone, one of the government’s flagship industrial parks established to attract export-oriented industries, create employment and promote value addition.
The SEZ is expected to leverage its proximity to the Port of Mombasa, the Standard Gauge Railway and regional transport corridors to position Kenya as a competitive manufacturing and logistics hub serving East and Central Africa.
Government officials have identified pharmaceutical manufacturing as one of the strategic sectors targeted for expansion as Kenya seeks to reduce import dependence, strengthen supply chains and improve regional access to essential medical products.
