Arab Alloys has established the largest industrial complex for ferroalloys in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), on an area of 40,000 sqm, southern Ain Sokhna. The company aims to produce 48,000 tonnes of ferrosilicon. It will also produce silicon manganese, which are mainly used in the iron and steel industry, as well as silicon metal, which is used in the aluminium industry. The project aims to increase production through several stages, targeting the local market as well as exporting to the markets of Europe and North Africa, in light of the Egyptian state's policy to localize the national industry and reduce dependence on industrial imports, as Egypt's imports of ferroalloys amount to nearly $1bn annually. Medhat Nafei, Chairperson of Arab Alloys, said that the project aims to bridge the local gap, noting that the company's board members have great experience in the industry. He added that the first meeting of the board of directors was held on Sunday, noting that the meeting dealt with many important points for the next stage and the latest developments for this project. Nafei said that the project will take up to 5 years to be completed, with a volume of investments of EGP 1bn noting that the implementation of the first and second phases will be completed after a year and a half from now. This project will cover the production gap exceeding $1bn, while the local manufacturing rate will exceed 85% of its production. He indicated that work is currently underway on the environmental study of the project, and the contracting of furnaces. He added that the company has a clear vision to localize and deepen the ferroalloy industry and related industries in light of the growth in demand and the lack of local production, pointing to the company's ambition to increase its market share of the various products it intends to manufacture. Arab Alloys was established as the first privately owned company in Africa for the production of ferroalloys, especially ferrosilicon, ferromanganese, and silicon manganese
