A new $12m factory owned by Saraya Japanese Middle East for Industrial Investment has officially opened in the Sokhna Integrated Zone within the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone). The inauguration ceremony, held at the Orascom Industrial Development site, was attended by prominent figures including SCZone Chairperson Waleid Gamal El-Din, Japanese Ambassador to Cairo Oka Hiroshi, and Saraya Chairperson Yusuke Saraya. The factory represents a significant Japanese investment in Egypt, featuring four production lines dedicated to sterilization products and supplies, natural cosmetics, packaging of the natural sugar-free sweetener "Lakanto," and jojoba oil extraction for export to cosmetics companies in Europe and Asia. The facility covers 20,000 square meters across two phases. Gamal El-Din highlighted the SCZone's multifaceted cooperation with Japan, citing a car ro-ro terminal in East Port Said developed in partnership with the Japanese-French alliance "Toyota Tsusho Bolloré NYK." He expressed enthusiasm for the Saraya factory's opening and emphasized the zone's success in attracting investments from diverse countries, including Japan. The SCZone delegation's promotional tour to Tokyo last year further solidified this commitment, with over 100 Japanese companies expressing interest in investing in the zone. Ambassador Hiroshi conveyed his delight at witnessing the inauguration of a Japanese factory within the SCZone, underscoring its significance as a symbol of the strategic partnership between Egypt and Japan. He reaffirmed Japan's dedication to fostering cooperation across various sectors and highlighted collaboration with the SCZone through the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to bolster Japanese investments in the zone. Hiroshi emphasized the SCZone's strategic importance as a global investment hub and a gateway to Africa. Saraya Chairperson Yusuke Saraya explained that Saraya Japan's involvement in Egypt began in 2018, providing services rooted in Japanese technology in the fields of sterilization, public health, and cosmetics. The establishment of this first factory complex in the SCZone is poised to serve as an export base for Saraya's products to the Middle East and Africa. The company is already working on the second phase, which will add two more production lines for sterile latex gloves, liquid chocolate products, and dietary chocolate, covering an additional 12,000 square meters.
