What Davis & Shirtliff Zambia does

Davis & Shirtliff Zambia is the wholly-owned Zambian subsidiary of Kenya-headquartered Davis & Shirtliff Ltd, a family-owned water and energy equipment distributor founded in 1946. Operating from its headquarters on Luanshya Road in Lusaka with a newly opened distribution centre, D&S Zambia is described as the Group's largest subsidiary and the market leader in pumps in Zambia, and additionally serves as a regional supply hub for Zimbabwe and DRC. The company distributes and supports a diversified portfolio across nine categories: water pumps, borehole pumps, solar solutions, generators, swimming pools, water treatment, irrigation, chemicals, and controllers/digital solutions. Product mix combines the proprietary Dayliff brand with distributed lines from Pedrollo, Grundfos, Davey, DAB, Rovatti Pompe, and Flowserve, plus SolarWorld and Yingli solar modules. Manufacturing is partially internalized for fiberglass pool filters and certain Dayliff pumps.

Revenue is generated through equipment sales (hardware), installation services, spare parts and aftermarket, and technical service/support. The go-to-market spans a direct branch network, a dealer and stockist channel, an in-house e-commerce storefront (Shop Online / D&S FLO app), and an emerging digital layer built on the iDayliff IoT remote-monitoring platform alongside PumpCalc and SolarCalc sizing software. Pricing is quote-based across all customer types rather than list-priced, and the customer base is segmented across residential, commercial/hospitality, agricultural, government/public-sector, industrial/manufacturing, and NGO/development-organization end markets.

The Zambian operation is led by Managing Director Jonathan Mainga and General Manager Patrick Daka, and is part of a Group that employs 600+ people across 48-50 branches in 10+ countries, with reported group revenue of approximately KShs 7 billion (~$60-70M USD). Dayliff proprietary products and long-standing technology partnerships with Grundfos (50+ years) and Pedrollo (since 1993, the Group's largest supplier) underpin the technical credibility of the offering, while iDayliff IoT, Sunverter 3 controllers, and the 2023-launch of the Dayliff Batteryless Solar RO plant point to a gradual shift toward higher-margin, digitally enabled, off-grid water and energy solutions.

Name

Davis & Shirtliff Zambia

Legal name

Davis & Shirtliff Ltd

Website

https://davisandshirtliff.com.zm

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Davis & Shirtliff Zambia is the wholly-owned Zambian subsidiary of Kenya-based Davis & Shirtliff Group, distributing and servicing water pumps, borehole equipment, solar solutions, generators, and water treatment systems under the Dayliff brand and distributed lines, serving residential, commercial, agricultural, public-sector, industrial and NGO customers across Zambia, Zimbabwe and DRC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Energy Equipment Distribution

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Pumps & Pumping Equipment (3561), Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Systems & Treatment (Pumps/Boilers/Water Heaters/Filtration) (IMAIABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant Equipment (Clarifiers, Aeration, Membrane Systems) (IMAHAEAJ), Separation & Filtration Equipment (Filters, Centrifuges, Membranes) (IMAHAEAB), Monitoring & Control (Dosing Systems, Remote Monitoring, Sensors) (BPABAJAK), Water Storage & Conveyance Structures (Tanks, Reservoirs, Canals, Ponds) (AFAAACAH), Hydration, Water Filtration & Purification Retail (CRAMAMAE)

Keywords

• Water pump distribution
• Borehole solutions
• Solar water pumping
• Water treatment systems
• Generator and power equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Lusaka

HQ country

Zambia

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: Sale of water pumps, borehole equipment, solar equipment, swimming pool products, water treatment equipment, generators, and accessories through branches and dealers
2. Installation Services: Installation of water supply systems, boreholes, swimming pools, and solar systems with technical expertise
3. Spare Parts and Aftermarket: Supply of spare parts and maintenance services for installed equipment
4. Service and Support: Technical support, field service, and workshop repair services across the branch network

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Davis & Shirtliff Zambia distributes and partially manufactures water and energy equipment including water pumps, borehole pumps, solar water heating and pumping systems, water treatment plants, swimming pool equipment, generators, irrigation systems, and related accessories. The company serves residential, commercial, agricultural, industrial, and public sector customers across Zambia and neighboring markets through a branch-based sales network, dealer program, and online shop.

Product overview

Davis & Shirtliff is a multi-country distributor and manufacturer of water and energy equipment operating across East Africa. The company operates a diversified product portfolio organized around six core market segments: Water Pumps (under the Dayliff own-brand as well as distributed brands including Pedrollo, Grundfos, Davey, DAB, Rovatti, and Flowserve), Borehole Pumps (Dayliff, Pedrollo, Grundfos, Rovatti), Solar Solutions (spanning solar panels/modules sourced from SolarWorld and Yingli with 25-year warranties, Dayliff SWD solar water heaters in 160L/220L/320L sizes, Dayliff Sunverter 3 solar pump controllers, inverters from SMA/Opti/Victron, and energy storage), Water Treatment (including Dayliff purifiers, reverse osmosis plants, UV units, Pentair composite tanks, and HACH water testing equipment), Swimming Pools (Dayliff fiberglass yellow filters manufactured in-house, pumps, salt chlorination systems, chemicals, spas/saunas), Generators (Dayliff DG petrol and diesel ranges, DG Multi-4 power pack, sourced from Lister Petter/Yanan/Cooper/Elemax), Irrigation & Water Supply (drip irrigation kits, Hunter sprinklers, pressure tanks, water meters), and Chemicals (water treatment chemicals, laboratory chemicals and equipment). The company also offers digital solutions including the iDayliff IoT remote monitoring platform for water and energy systems, the Dayliff PumpCalc pump sizing tool, and SolarCalc solar system sizing tool, along with a D&S FLO mobile application for accessing products and services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dayliff: Proprietary brand for water pumps, borehole solutions, solar equipment, generators, water treatment products, pool equipment, and digital solutions including iDayliff IoT platform and Dayliff FLO app.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 1 million water pumps sold over 75 years
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Aqua for AllcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to improve water project infrastructure owned by community-based organizations, public water utilities and faith-based social enterprises. Offers flexible and subsidized loans in collaboration with selected banks to bridge financing gap in the water sector.
• Action AidcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide clean potable water for needy communities in Isiolo and West Pokot counties.
• NovartisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to improve health standards in Machakos County by increasing access to water.
• PacidaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to promote peace amongst communities in Northern Kenya by increasing access to water and solar-powered lighting.
• Well AwarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to support water programs targeting needy communities and public schools.
• Life From Water FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNGO operating in rural communities offering clean water and agricultural solutions, increasing access to water in Kilifi County.
• FHI 360coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership that has rehabilitated springs and hand pump-fitted wells, and upgraded them with solar pumping kits.
• Rotary InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration between D&S and Rotary with a goal to increase access to water in underserved communities.
• Child Fund KenyaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting water programs targeting needy children.
• With My Own Two HandscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership where WMO2H drills boreholes while Davis & Shirtliff equips them with solar pumping systems, reaching communities where no existing water source exists.
• Drilling for LifeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership that supported a special school in Murang'a - drilled a borehole, constructed a water tower and provided tank, with D&S equipping the borehole with a solar pump.
• GrundfoscoreTechnology or IntegrationOver 50-year partnership with world's largest pump manufacturer based in Denmark. D&S and Grundfos Kenya rehabilitated a borehole for a Maasai community in Namanga.
• Centum FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting Mathare informal settlements primary school with solarized pumping system allowing the school to run its borehole at no cost.
• SOS Children's VillagescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership has increased access to water for communities in Kisumu and Eldoret through water projects.
• PedrollocoreTechnology or IntegrationItalian pump manufacturer partnership established in 1993, now the Group's largest supplier.
• DaveycoreTechnology or IntegrationAustralian pump manufacturer partnership established in mid-1960s, with long-standing distribution relationship.
• World VisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with NGO to advance humanitarian water agenda through water supply projects.
• OxfamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with international NGO for water supply projects particularly in arid areas.
• The Standard (Kenya)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to increase access to water in densely populated Nairobi communities through installed water points.
• Nairobi Bottlers Limited (Coca Cola)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to support COVID-19 fight by distributing handwashing stations around Nairobi's public markets.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Xylem: Global water technology leader in pumps, treatment, and metering; significantly larger than D&S but increasingly active in emerging markets via acquisitions and direct presence in Africa, creating indirect competition across water-pump and treatment segments.
• Pentair: Global water treatment and flow technologies company whose Pentair composite tanks are distributed by D&S; competes in water-treatment plants and RO systems but at much larger scale globally.
• Flowserve: Global flow control and pump manufacturer distributed by D&S; competes with D&S in industrial-grade pumps and water/wastewater project work, though with much larger global scale.
• KSB SE & Co. KGaA: German global pump and valve manufacturer with industrial focus; overlaps with D&S in industrial pumping applications and water infrastructure projects across Africa.

Direct peers

• Grundfos: World's largest pump manufacturer and D&S's 50+ year distribution partner; directly competes with D&S's Dayliff-branded pumps and has been expanding direct presence in African markets, making it both a partner and the most strategic competitor.
• Pedrollo: Italian pump manufacturer and D&S Group's largest supplier since 1993; competes with D&S's own Dayliff brand pumps while remaining core to D&S's portfolio, especially for residential and agricultural pumps.
• Franklin Electric: US-headquartered manufacturer of water and fueling systems with a strong submersible pump range; competes with D&S in borehole pumps and water-transfer systems across African markets.
• Davey Water Products: Australian pump manufacturer with a long-standing distribution relationship with D&S since the mid-1960s; operates its own distribution in parts of Africa and competes with D&S in commercial and rural water-pumping applications.
• Tsurumi Pump: Japanese manufacturer specializing in submersible and dewatering pumps with established presence in African construction and mining; competitive with D&S in commercial and industrial submersible pump segments.

Emerging players

• Sungrow: Leading Chinese solar inverter manufacturer rapidly expanding in Africa; overlaps with D&S's solar solutions portfolio and competes in distributed solar and solar-pumping applications in Zambia and East Africa.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DavisShirtliff
• Facebookfacebook.com/DavisandShirtliff
• Instagraminstagram.com/davisandshirtliff
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/davisandshirtliff

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries10 records

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 Davis & Shirtliff Zambia