Rising flood risk is creating a new market for industrial water-removal equipment in Kenya, prompting engineering firms to expand their product offerings as demand grows from government, construction, mining and infrastructure projects.
Swedish industrial equipment maker Atlas Copco is the latest to enter the segment, introducing dewatering solutions to support customers grappling with increasingly frequent flooding.
It joins established global manufacturers such as Xylem, Grundfos and Sulzer, which also recently entered the flood management equipment segment, as competition grows in a market increasingly shaped by climate-related risks and infrastructure investment.
Atlas Copco, which has operated in Kenya for 90 years, has traditionally focused on power solutions and industrial equipment, but recurring floods and growing demand from industries that require large-scale water removal have prompted it to expand into the segment in East Africa.
“We see it as an emerging segment for the cities. Nairobi has been flooding, for example. For the mines, for construction quarries, we see that as a new segment to us. It’s a segment we are coming into,” said Atlas Copco East Africa managing director Raphael Kiandiko.
Xylem, a US-based firm, expanded into the segment in 2025, introducing submersible dewatering pumps in the country through partnership with local suppliers. Sulzer and Grundfos also expanded into the market last year through distribution partnerships.
Kenya has experienced increasingly destructive flooding in recent years, with heavy rains damaging roads, businesses and infrastructure while disrupting transport, construction projects and mining operations.
The growing economic cost of floods is pushing both public agencies and private companies to seek equipment that can quickly remove water and minimise damage and downtime.
Dewatering involves pumping out large volumes of water from mines, construction sites, quarries and other industrial facilities, as well as flooded streets and buildings, to keep operations running and reduce flood damage.
While industrial dewatering equipment has long been used in mining and construction, suppliers say demand is now expanding beyond those traditional sectors as increasingly frequent urban flooding creates new commercial opportunities.
According to Mr Kiandiko, the company expects demand from a wide range of customers, including mining and construction firms, government agencies, emergency responders and humanitarian organisations.
“There’s big need. There’s big need in Nairobi. We will be knocking doors, engaging with institutions and the government to introduce these solutions. We can have flooding, but to a great extent we can control that with these products,” he said.
Local availability of the equipment is also expected to reduce reliance on overseas suppliers for installation, maintenance and technical support, allowing customers to access spare parts and servicing more quickly during emergencies and major infrastructure projects.
Mr Kiandiko said the company sees mining, quarrying, construction and urban infrastructure as the biggest drivers of demand.
and expects the new business segment to become an increasingly important part of its East African operations as governments and businesses invest more in flood resilience.
