Aga Khan Hospital is BOC Kenya’s biggest customer by sales

The Aga Khan Health Service is the single biggest customer of BOC Kenya Plc #ticker:BOC, the industrial gas manufacturer has disclosed.

The hospital group is BOC’s number one customer by sales volume and revenue in Kenya – the most important market whose turnover stood at Sh913.8 million in the year ended December.

The Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed firm has for the first time published a list of its largest customers in its latest annual report.

Aga Khan and other hospitals buy medical gases and equipment from BOC. These include Carbon dioxide (used in surgery), Oxygen (to aid breathing) and Nitrous Oxide (for pain relief).

Aga Khan is followed by Moi Teaching & Referral Hospital, Mogere Agencies Limited, Mater Hospital, Metropolitan Gas Suppliers, Apex Steel, Associated Battery Manufacturers, Nairobi Hospital, Tata Chemicals Magadi and Manara, on the list of the top customers in Kenya.

In Uganda, where BOC sold products worth Sh39.9 million, the largest customer is Nile Breweries followed by Hoima Sugar Limited and Kinyara Sugar Works Limited.

In Tanzania, whose sales stood at Sh53.3 million, the top customer is Sigma Gas & Engineering followed by Kagera Sugar and Bulyanhulu Gold Mine.

“The company’s portfolio includes dozens of different gases and mixtures, as well as related equipment and services,” BOC says in the report.

“The company’s customer base cuts across a large spectrum and includes public and private hospitals, food processors, civil and mechanical engineering contractors, motor vehicle body builders, hotels and restaurants, the informal business sector (“Jua Kali”) and small and medium enterprises.”

BOC’s sales and earnings have dropped significantly over the years, a trend the company has attributed to increased competition by new players offering lower prices.