May is an important month in the D&S year as it ends the first financial half and is also when we celebrate Founders Day which marks the Company's founding in 1946, now 77 years ago, by my father Eddie Davis and his partner Dick Shirtliff. We are all very proud of this long history and continuity, which is unusual in the corporate world, and the success that has been achieved by following the founders guiding principles and values. Celebrations were held throughout the Group to mark the occasion which is also when retirements and service awards are presented.
D&S Zambia is now D&S's largest subsidiary that has become the country's market leader in pumps. It also supplies regional markets Zimbabwe and DRC and as volumes have increased additional distribution capacity became essential. To address this GM Jonathan Mainga arranged purchase of a one-acre plot on Luyansha Rd near the existing Head Office that has been developed with a state-of-the-art warehouse and offices block building.
New products are the life blood of all organisations and driven by the Product Committee, it has always been a particular focus for D&S. Over the years the product range has grown hugely and we are proud of the many innovations we have introduced to our markets. The Dayliff initiative has been particularly successful with the pump product range being as wide as available anywhere and is now firmly established as the leading market brand that also includes many other products from our various other segments.
Business Monthly magazine recently published a list of our 25 most influential CEOs, and 14 of those selected were women. So good news: in recent years, female representation on boards and in senior management positions in Kenya has been on a steady increase. Yet despite the significant gains made in the past decade or so, many organizations still lack substantial female representation at the senior leadership level.
As is always the case after the Festive season's holidays and celebrations, the new year seems to start sprinting and already we are in March! The first two months are particularly busy at D&S as we finalise the various new year routines and start executing the Annual Plan, an important tradition being its presentation to all staff to align them with Group priorities.
D&S Zambia MD Jonathan Mainga has taken the important step of operationalizing the new company head office and distribution center complex on Luanshya road, Lusaka. The large and impressively equipped facility is the Group's second purpose-built fulfillment center to be opened after Tatu City DC in Kenya's Kiambu County opened in 2021 and will serve the Southern cluster of D&S markets including DRC, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique.
Founded 76 years ago in Westlands, Nairobi, Davis & Shirtliff is the leading supplier of water and energy-related equipment in the Eastern African region, with a footprint in 12 countries. Davis & Shirtliff is particularly focused on increasing its presence and impact in the green solar energy business, where it is already a market leader. The firm’s operations include supply of equipment and solutions for surface and borehole water pumping, water treatment, swimming pools, solar power and heating, irrigation, as well as industrial chemicals and building management systems. Davis & Shirtliff distributes numerous water and energy products under its own brand, Dayliff, in addition to stocking other international brands of equipment.