Milly Glass SEZ Ltd plans to establish what it says will be East and Central Africa’s first manufacturing plant at an estimated cost of Sh330.4 million dedicated to pharmaceutical glass bottles, as the Kenyan glass manufacturer seeks to tap growing demand from drugmakers in the region.
The proposed facility will be built on a six-hectare parcel of land at the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone in Mombasa County and will produce Type 3 amber-coloured glass bottles used to package medicines.
The bottles can be used for liquids, tablets, capsules, vaccines and injectable preparations, providing protection against light, moisture and contaminants.
Milly Glass says the project is driven by market analysis showing growing demand for pharmaceutical glass bottles, as well as an opportunity to expand its existing glass-container business.
The company says there is currently no glass factory in East and Central Africa producing pharmaceutical bottles, meaning local production could reduce reliance on imported packaging while supporting the expansion of pharmaceutical manufacturing in Kenya.
Kenya imported Sh126 million ($972,820)worth of laboratory, hygienic or pharmaceutical glassware, weighing 318,470 kg (318.5 tonnes) in 2024 under HS 701790. India and China were the largest suppliers, accounting for Sh41.6 million ($320,550) and Sh41.5 mmillion ($319,590) respectively.
The project is an extension of Milly Glass Works Ltd, a Mombasa-based glass container and tableware manufacturer that traces its roots to 1954 and was established in its current form in 2000.
Milly Glass Works Ltd’s existing factory on Mombasa Island produces flint glass bottles, mainly for the soft drinks and spirits industries.
The Dongo Kundu project would allow the group to add pharmaceutical packaging to its product range.
The new plant is intended to serve pharmaceutical manufacturers in Kenya with the company also planning to export bottles to pharmaceutical companies in East and Central Africa.
Construction is expected to take about two years after receipt of the required approvals and will create up to 800 direct and indirect jobs during construction and about 280 permanent jobs once operational.
