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11 line items in process order, each with its tag, specification, quantity, power and an indicative unit price.
Cantilever racks for 6 m lengths · plate rack · 2 t trolleys
Keeps sections, tubes and plate sorted by grade and size for fast picking.
3 t SWL · 10 m span · electric hoist, pendant control
Lifts beams and finished assemblies safely between work stations.
250 mm round capacity · mitre 0–60° · coolant pump
Cuts sections, tubes and bar to length with square or mitred ends.
Hypertherm 65 A · 1,500 × 3,000 mm bed · nesting software
Profiles plate and sheet from DXF drawings: base plates, gussets, gate panels.
32 mm drilling capacity · geared head · magnetic vice
Drills bolt holes in plates, flats and sections to drawing.
63 t × 2,500 mm · NC back gauge · segmented tooling
Bends sheet and plate into channels, brackets, cabinets and furniture parts.
350 A inverter · 4-roll wire feeder · welding table + screens
Semi-automatic welding for frames, trusses, gates and furniture.
Mobile · HEPA cartridge · 3 m arm
Captures welding fume at source to protect welders' lungs.
115 & 230 mm grinders · clamps · measuring tools
Weld dressing, deburring and fit-up at every bench.
6 × 4 × 3 m · dry filter exhaust · explosion-proof lights
Primes and top-coats finished work in a ventilated, fire-safe enclosure.
200 L receiver · 10 HP · 8 bar · filter-regulator
Air for the spray guns, plasma torch and pneumatic tools.
Indicative ex-works prices (US$, 2026) for budgeting a sample project, not quotations. Photos are illustrative of each machine class.
9 unit operations in order, with the equipment that performs each and its control point.
| Step | Operation | Equipment | Control point |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Receive & store steelSections and plate are checked against mill certificates and racked by grade. | MH-101 Steel Stock Racking & TrolleysCR-101 Overhead Gantry Crane |
Mill cert · heat number logged |
| 02 | Mark & saw-cutMembers are marked from the cutting list and cut to length or mitre.Offcuts → scrap bin | BS-201 Horizontal Metal Band Saw |
Length ± 1 mm |
| 03 | CNC plasma profilingPlates and gate panels are nested and cut from DXF files. | PL-201 CNC Plasma Cutting Table |
First-off check against drawing |
| 04 | Drill & punchBolt holes are drilled to the connection details. | DP-202 Column Drill Press |
Hole position ± 0.5 mm |
| 05 | Bend & formSheet and plate are bent into channels, brackets and furniture parts. | PB-203 Hydraulic Press Brake |
Bend angle ± 0.5° |
| 06 | Fit-up & weldParts are jigged, tacked, checked for square and fully welded. | WD-301 MIG Welding StationFX-301 Welding Fume Extractor |
Visual weld inspection · square/diagonal check |
| 07 | Grind & finishWelds are dressed, edges deburred and spatter removed. | GR-302 Angle Grinders & Hand Tool Sets |
Surface free of spatter and sharp edges |
| 08 | Prime & paintWork is degreased, primed and top-coated in the booth. | PT-401 Spray Paint BoothAC-401 Piston Air Compressor |
Dry film thickness 80–120 µm |
| 09 | Inspect & dispatchFinal dimensional check, marking and loading for delivery. | CR-101 Overhead Gantry Crane |
QC sign-off · delivery note |
6 zones arranged for one-way material flow, with every item of equipment placed by tag.
Plasma profiling from DXF files gives repeatable parts with no manual marking.
A 3-ton gantry crane moves beams and assemblies without forklifts inside.
Screened MIG bays let four welders work in parallel on different jobs.
Fume extraction at source and a filtered paint booth protect the team.
Steel moves from stock to dispatch without crossing back through the shop.
Hot work and painting are separated, with extinguishers every 3 m at welding stations.
The core routines operators follow, from start-up to batch release.
11 sections: open any one to read it, or download the whole document.
IronWorks Kenya is a steel fabrication workshop in Nairobi's Industrial Area specializing in structural steelwork, gates and grilles, metal furniture, and custom fabrication for the construction and real estate sectors.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Workshop Size | 5,000 sq ft |
| Initial Investment | KES 8,500,000 (~$65,000) |
| Year 1 Revenue | KES 18,000,000 |
| Year 3 Revenue | KES 42,000,000 |
| Gross Margin | 35-42% |
| Product Line | Description | Avg. Order Value | Monthly Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structural Steel | Beams, columns, trusses for buildings | KES 500,000 | 3-5 projects |
| Gates & Grilles | Security gates, window grilles, railings | KES 80,000 | 20-30 units |
| Metal Furniture | Tables, shelving, display units | KES 35,000 | 30-50 units |
| Custom Fabrication | Signage, tanks, containers, special projects | KES 150,000 | 5-8 projects |
| Repair & Maintenance | Welding repairs, modifications | KES 15,000 | 40-60 jobs |
| Equipment | Specification | Cost (KES) |
|---|---|---|
| MIG Welding Machines | Lincoln Electric 350A (x4) | 800,000 |
| Plasma Cutter | Hypertherm 65A CNC table | 1,200,000 |
| Hydraulic Press Brake | 63-ton, 2500mm | 900,000 |
| Band Saw | Horizontal, 250mm capacity | 250,000 |
| Drill Press | Column drill, 32mm capacity | 120,000 |
| Angle Grinders & Hand Tools | Various (10 sets) | 200,000 |
| Overhead Crane | 3-ton gantry crane | 450,000 |
| Compressor | 200L, 10HP | 150,000 |
| Paint Booth | Spray booth with exhaust | 300,000 |
| Metric | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 18,000,000 | 28,000,000 | 42,000,000 |
| Material Costs (45%) | 8,100,000 | 12,600,000 | 18,900,000 |
| Labor | 3,600,000 | 5,040,000 | 7,560,000 |
| Overheads | 2,400,000 | 3,200,000 | 4,200,000 |
| Net Profit | 3,900,000 | 7,160,000 | 11,340,000 |
| Net Margin | 22% | 26% | 27% |
Kenya's construction sector grew 6.1% in 2025 with major projects including the Nairobi Expressway extension, BRT Phase 2 and over 18,000 affordable-housing units commissioned annually. Demand for structural steel, security gates and metal fittings has outpaced supply, with most large fabricators booked 4-6 weeks ahead.
| Tier | Definition | Value (KES) |
|---|---|---|
| TAM | Kenya structural & architectural steel fabrication | 78 billion |
| SAM | Nairobi metro construction + housing | 32 billion |
| SOM (Year 3) | IronWorks at 0.13% of SAM | 42 million |
| Competitor | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Mabati Rolling Mills | Brand + scale | Roofing focus, slow on custom orders |
| Devki Steel | Raw material integration | Limited custom fabrication |
| Local backyard welders | Low cost | Inconsistent quality, no warranty |
IronWorks differentiation: Mid-tier price, certified welders, 14-day turnaround on custom orders, and a 12-month structural warranty.
| Channel | % Revenue | Customer |
|---|---|---|
| Direct B2B (Contractors) | 50% | Construction firms, engineering consultants |
| Real Estate Developers | 20% | Apartment block developers, mixed-use projects |
| Architect / Designer Referrals | 15% | Custom gates, railings, signature pieces |
| Retail Walk-in (showroom) | 10% | Homeowners, small businesses |
| Online (website + WhatsApp Business) | 5% | Direct enquiries, repair jobs |
| Certification | Authority | Status | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCA Class 5 Registration | National Construction Authority | To obtain (M2) | Annual |
| KEBS Welder Certification | Kenya Bureau of Standards | 3 welders certified at launch | 2-yearly per welder |
| OSHA Workplace Compliance | DOSHS | Continuous | Annual audit |
| NEMA Effluent Licence | NEMA | To obtain (M3) | Annual |
| County Trade Licence | Nairobi County | Annual | Annual |
| Role | Headcount | Monthly (KES) |
|---|---|---|
| Workshop Manager / Owner | 1 | 120,000 |
| Project Engineer (CAD + estimation) | 1 | 90,000 |
| Foreman | 1 | 65,000 |
| Certified Welders | 4 | 40,000 each |
| Fitters / Fabricators | 4 | 28,000 each |
| Painter / Finisher | 1 | 30,000 |
| Driver / Site Installer | 2 | 25,000 each |
| Sales & Quotation Officer | 1 | 55,000 |
| Bookkeeper (part-time) | 1 | 30,000 |
| Total | 16 | ~720,000 |
Skills development: Quarterly internal training on TIG welding, plasma operation, and structural blueprint reading. Two apprenticeship slots per year sourced from Kabete Technical Training Institute.
| Month | Milestone |
|---|---|
| M1 | Workshop lease signed (5,000 sq ft, Industrial Area) |
| M2 | NCA Class 5 application; equipment ordered; 3-phase power upgrade |
| M3 | Plasma cutter + press brake installed and commissioned |
| M4 | Pilot project: 4 batches of security gates for soft launch |
| M5 | First structural project (commercial warehouse trusses, ~KES 2M) |
| M6 | Showroom + Instagram launch; 3 architect partnerships signed |
| M9 | Hire 2 additional welders; reach monthly revenue KES 1.5M |
| M12 | Year 1 close: KES 18M revenue, 30+ completed projects |
| M18 | Second shift (evening) added; expand product line to staircases |
| M24 | Open satellite workshop in Mombasa (coastal demand) |
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steel price spike (global volatility) | High | High | Quote validity capped at 14 days; bulk purchase of high-runner profiles |
| Workplace injury (welding, lifting) | Medium | High | Mandatory PPE, weekly safety briefings, WIBA insurance, first-aid-certified foreman |
| Project payment delays | High | Medium | 40/40/20 progress payments; legal recourse via SCAC; small-claims for < KES 1M |
| Power outages disrupting CNC jobs | Medium | Medium | 30 kVA standby generator + UPS on CNC controllers |
| Skilled welder turnover | Medium | Medium | Performance bonuses + cross-training so any 2 welders can backstop critical jobs |
| Cheap import competition | Medium | Low | Position on quality + warranty + service; not competing on lowest price |
Total Ask: KES 8,500,000 (~$65,000) — founder equity KES 4M + asset-financing KES 4.5M (5-year term, prime + 3%).
| Category | Amount (KES) | % |
|---|---|---|
| Major equipment (MIG, plasma, press brake, crane) | 4,370,000 | 51% |
| Workshop fit-out + 3-phase power | 1,400,000 | 16% |
| Vehicles (1-ton pickup + delivery truck) | 1,500,000 | 18% |
| Initial raw material stock (10 tonnes) | 800,000 | 9% |
| Working capital + certifications | 430,000 | 5% |
Year-3 return: Net profit KES 11.34M against equity of KES 4M = 2.8x cash-on-cash; expected investor IRR ~38% over 5 years.
Equipment specifications, process flow diagrams, recipes and the business plan, bundled as one download.
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