What Mabati Rolling Mills does

Mabati Rolling Mills Limited (MRM) is Kenya's largest manufacturer of coated steel roofing and comprehensive building envelope solutions, founded in 1962 at Mariakani near Mombasa and now operating as the flagship subsidiary of the pan-African Safal Group. The company was the first in Africa to deploy a patented Aluminium-Zinc alloy coating technology licensed from BIEC International and branded ZincAl, and operates an integrated coated steel production facility at Mariakani where it produces Zincal coated coils, Optima and Optima Plus painted coated steel, COLOR PLUS products, and downstream roofing profiles including Lifestile stone-coated tiles (Shingle, Wave, Roman), Versatile, Orientile and Elegantile tile profiles, DumuRangi and Dumuzas corrugated sheets, Resincot translucent sheets, MaxCover and CoverMax box profiles, industrial profiles (IT-5 Tekdek, SAFLOK 700, Newlok 410), Safdeck decking, Ultra Span pre-engineered trussing, SAFBUILD pre-engineered steel buildings, and SAFCOOL insulated cold-room panels.

MRM's go-to-market is a hybrid omni-channel model combining 23 retail showrooms (with continued aggressive densification into underserved towns such as Voi, Kamakis, Nyahururu and Litein during 2024-2025), 13 service centres spread across Kenya (Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Thika, Kitengela, Meru, Nyeri, Kisii and others), an authorized distributor network featuring Chandaria Brothers, Orua Superstores, Cecypo and Megha Marketing, a dedicated e-commerce storefront at shop.mabati.com, and certified-installer routing through the Fundi Training Program (over 4,000 fundis). Customers span individual homeowners, building professionals (architects, contractors, distributors), industrial and commercial clients, and institutional accounts, with financing extended via a partnership with KCB Bank.

Revenue is generated predominantly through one-time sales of roofing and building products priced by linear metre (e.g., Covermax at KES 520/m, Orientile at KES 980/m, Elegantile at KES 1,280/m, RainGain gutters at KES 350/m) or per piece (Versatile Classic at KES 1,450, stone-coated shingles at KES 1,680, water tanks at KES 85,000) and through larger-ticket items such as SAFSOLAR solar water heating systems (KES 137,945-198,580), industrial roofing projects, and complete SAFBUILD pre-engineered buildings, with installation routed through the certified-fundi database. Material risks include dependence on steel input costs, exposure to Kenya construction-cycle volatility, counterfeit sheet competition, and the need to defend share against both informal local converters and imported coated steel.

Name

Mabati Rolling Mills

Legal name

Mabati Rolling Mills Limited

Website

https://mabati.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Mabati Rolling Mills (MRM) is Kenya's largest coated steel roofing and building solutions manufacturer and the flagship subsidiary of the Safal Group, producing Aluminium-Zinc alloy-coated tiles, industrial profiles, pre-engineered buildings, and accessories for homeowners, contractors, and industrial clients across Kenya.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Steel Roofing & Building Materials

NAICS

Custom Roll Forming (332114)

SIC

Sheet Metal Work (3444), Metal Forgings & Stampings (3460)

akta.pro primary industry

Metal Roofing Systems (IMADAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coated & Plated Steel (Galvanized, Galvalume, Tinplate, Electrogalvanized, Color-Coated) (IMAKABAG), Flashing, Edge Metal & Roof Accessories (IMADAFAJ)

Keywords

• Steel roofing solutions
• Coated steel sheets
• Pre-engineered buildings
• Stone-coated tiles
• Building materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Steel Roofing and Building Products (One-Time Sale): MRM generates the majority of its revenue from the one-time sale of steel roofing sheets, tiles, profiles, and accessories. Products include residential roofing (Lifestile, Versatile, Orientile, Elegantile), industrial roofing (IT-5 Tekdek, SAFLOK 700, Safdeck), corrugated sheets (DumuRangi, Dumuzas), pipes and tubes, ventilation, and accessories. This is a product-only transaction model where customers purchase materials directly.
2. Pre-Engineered Building Solutions: MRM offers SAFBUILD pre-engineered steel buildings assembled in four weeks and Ultraspan steel trussing systems. Revenue comes from supplying the complete building system including design, structural components, and related solutions for industrial, commercial, and agricultural applications.
3. Delivery and Logistics Services: MRM offers delivery services to customers, with free delivery within 100km of nearest service centres (subject to accessible terrain and off-loader availability on site). Delivery charges apply beyond 100km and are factored into the overall transaction value.
4. Installation Services (through Trained Installers): MRM offers installation services through its trained and certified installers (fundis). Installation is offered as an after-sale service, connecting customers with certified professionals from MRM's database.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Mabati Rolling Mills manufactures and supplies coated steel roofing sheets, roofing tiles, and pre-engineered building solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial construction in East Africa. The company operates from its Mariakani plant in Kenya, producing branded roofing products using proprietary ZincAl Aluminium-Zinc alloy coating technology and distributing through a network of 23 showrooms, 13 service centres, distributor partners, and an e-commerce platform.

Product overview

Mabati Rolling Mills (MRM) is Kenya's leading steel roofing and building solutions provider, offering a comprehensive portfolio of over 30 distinct products across residential, commercial, and industrial categories. The product ecosystem is anchored by coated steel technology (Zincal using Aluminium-Zinc alloy) and spans: residential roofing (Lifestile stone-coated tiles with 50-year warranty, Versatile, Orientile, Elegantile tile profiles, plus DumuRangi, Dumuzas, Resincot corrugated options), industrial roofing (IT-5 Tekdek, Saflok 700 concealed-fix, Newlok 410, Safdeck decking), pre-engineered building systems (SAFBUILD and Ultra Span trussing), cold room solutions (SAFCOOL insulated panels), and a full range of accessories including rain water harvesting systems, Saftherm insulation, solar solutions, ventilators, and fasteners. MRM operates an eCommerce platform (shop.mabati.com) alongside a network of 23+ service centers and showrooms nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lifestile: Premium stone-coated steel roofing tiles offering durability and aesthetic appeal with profiles including Shingle, Wave, and Roman. Backed by 50-year warranty.
• Versatile
• Orientile
• Elegantile
• SAFLOK700
• SAFBUILD
• Ultraspan
• SAFCOOL
• Zincal
• Saftherm
• Resincot
• RainGain

Products and services

• Lifestile
• Versatile
• Orientile
• Elegantile
• Covermax
• Tilemax
• Structomax A pre-engineered steel building system used for warehouses, factories, and commercial structures requiring fast construction.

Quantifiable outcome

• Wind resistance up to 233 kph on Lifestile stone-coated tiles
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Crown Paints PLCminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 March 2026Crown Paints PLC partners with MRM in the Lifestile Reward Scheme, offering a KES 50,000 Crown Paints voucher to customers purchasing Lifestile stone-coated roofing worth KES 550,000 or more. This cross-promotional partnership creates value for MRM customers while driving Crown Paints sales.
• Safal GroupcoreOthersMRM is the largest company within the Safal Group, a pan-African building materials group. Safal Group licensed MRM's ZincAl Aluminium-Zinc coating technology from BIEC International. MRM benefits from group-wide technology sharing, brand affiliation, and operational scale. Anders Lindgren is Safal Group's CEO who participated in MRM's AI event.
• Imagin3 StudiosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerImagin3 Studios, led by Managing Director Jeremy Denisty, provided a keynote address at MRM's AI event in September 2024, exploring how AI and emerging technologies can drive business growth in the building materials sector.
• Hyatt Regency Hotel (Kenya)minorOthersThe Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kenya served as the venue for MRM's landmark AI event on 10 September 2024, which brought together industry leaders to discuss the transformative potential of AI in business.
• Chandaria BrotherscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChandaria Brothers is a key authorized distributor of MRM products, featured on MRM's distributor page. They represent one of MRM's primary channel partnerships for reaching customers across Kenya.
• Orua SuperstorescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOrua Superstores is an authorized distributor of MRM products, serving customers in western Kenya and surrounding regions.
• CecypocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCecypo is an authorized distributor of MRM products, featured on MRM's distributor page as part of the company's distribution network.
• Megha MarketingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMegha Marketing is an authorized distributor of MRM products, contributing to MRM's distribution reach across Kenya.
• Kenya Manufacturers Association (KMA)minorOthersMRM is affiliated with the Kenya Manufacturers Association, an industry body representing manufacturing companies in Kenya. MRM's logo appears on KMA's website.
• University of NairobiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMRM has an affiliation with the University of Nairobi, appearing on the university's industry partners page. The nature of the partnership may include research collaboration, student engagement, or industry-academia linkage programs.
• Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA)minorOthersMRM is affiliated with KEPSA, Kenya's premier private sector representative body. MRM's logo appears on KEPSA's website as a member, indicating MRM's active participation in the Kenyan private sector.
• Superbrands East AfricaminorOthersMRM is recognized by Superbrands East Africa, an independent brand advocacy organization that identifies and rewards top brands in East Africa based on brand excellence.
• Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE)minorOthersMRM is affiliated with the Federation of Kenya Employers, Kenya's principal employers' organization. MRM's logo appears on FKE's member listing.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Kirby Building Systems: International pre-engineered steel building manufacturer comparable to MRM's SAFBUILD and Ultraspan pre-engineered building and trussing lines for industrial customers.
• NS BlueScope Lysaght: Global metal roofing and coated-steel building solutions provider whose profiled roofing and pre-engineered building products overlap with MRM's portfolio at a multinational scale.
• Tata BlueScope Steel: Manufacturer of coated steel and metal roofing systems (including pre-engineered buildings) whose product categories directly mirror MRM's coated-steel and roofing offering.

Regional players

• ALAF Limited: Safal Group's Tanzanian coated-steel roofing manufacturer offering equivalent roofing and building solutions in a neighbouring East African market.
• Roofings Group: Ugandan producer of steel roofing sheets, coils, and building materials with a comparable coated-steel roofing product range serving East African construction markets.

Emerging players

• Everest Industries: Roofing and pre-engineered steel building products manufacturer with an overlapping portfolio spanning metal roofing and building solutions in emerging markets.

Direct peers

• Maisha Mabati Mills (Devki Group): Kenyan manufacturer of coated and painted steel roofing sheets and tiles competing head-to-head with MRM across residential and commercial roofing in the same domestic market.
• Uganda Baati: Safal Group sibling producing ZincAl-coated steel roofing in Uganda with the same product technology and business model as MRM, differing mainly in geography.
• Safintra (Safal Group): Safal Group's specialized roofing solutions brand offering profiled metal roofing across African markets, closely aligned with MRM's roofing product lines.
• Tarmal Steel (Insteel): Kenyan steel and roofing products manufacturer supplying galvanized and color-coated roofing sheets, competing directly with MRM in Kenya.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MRM_Ltd
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC6HrKGXqPHWUafXAsPiS2Nw
• Facebookfacebook.com/MabatiRollingMills
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mrm---safal-group/?originalSubdomain=ke
• Instagraminstagram.com/mrm_ltd

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mabati Rolling Mills