Great Conversations. Stronger Connections: Tarmal Steel at the IQSK Annual Summit 2026

From 28 to 30 October, Sarova Whitesands in Mombasa hosted the Annual Summit of the Institute of Quantity Surveyors of Kenya (IQSK). To everyone who visited the Tarmal booth, met our team and shared a conversation with us: thank you.

Your questions, project ambitions and perspectives made every interaction worthwhile. It was a pleasure connecting with the professionals helping shape Kenya’s built environment.

Owning Our Space

This year’s theme was “Owning Our Space: Construction Dynamics, Infrastructure Involvement & Project Financing.” Sessions explored how quantity surveyors can play a bigger role in infrastructure delivery, and what makes a construction project bankable.

For us, owning our space means bringing dependable steel and a spirit of partnership to the projects that move Kenya forward. Stronger buildings begin with sound decisions, and stronger partnerships begin with conversations like these.

Why we were there

Quantity surveyors sit at the centre of every project. They estimate, specify and advise on the materials that decide whether a building is safe, durable and good value. Reinforcement steel is one of the biggest of those decisions, and it is one we take seriously.

For over three decades, Tarmal, The Steel People, has grown from a hardware shop into one of East Africa’s leading steel manufacturers. Our PowerSteel® TMT bars, hollow sections and Farasi® wire products are made on our own rolling, tube and wire mills, so quality stays consistent from the first delivery to the last.

Quality is a cost issue, not just a technical one

A theme that kept coming up across the summit was lifecycle value. The cheapest option at tender stage is rarely the cheapest over the life of a building. Sub-standard reinforcement can mean rework, delays and risk to people and reputations. Consistent, certified steel protects budgets, and quantity surveyors are well placed to make that case to clients and developers.

When you are specifying steel for your next project, a few questions are worth asking any supplier:

•         Is the product manufactured and tested to the relevant Kenyan standards?

•         Is quality consistent from batch to batch?

•         Can the supplier support you with technical advice and reliable delivery across regions?

Two perspectives. One stronger industry.

At the summit, Mohammed N Tarmal sat down with Qs. Janet Chirchir, President of IQSK, for a conversation on steel manufacturing and quantity surveying. Watch the interview on Instagram and keep the conversation going.

Let’s build on the conversation

Kenya has ambitious infrastructure plans, and delivering them will take strong partnerships between manufacturers, consultants, contractors and financiers. We thank IQSK for bringing the industry together, its new council led by President Qs. Janet Chirchir, and every member who stopped by to talk. We look forward to turning the connections made at the summit into lasting relationships.

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