A consortium of Egyptian and Chinese companies has signed contracts for three new industrial projects in the West Qantara industrial zone, with a total investment of $75m (approximately EGP 3.6bn). The projects are expected to generate over $100m in annual exports and create 3,600 direct jobs. Walid Gamal El-Din, Chairperson of the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE), signed the agreements today with a representative of the alliance. The projects will span a total area of 225,000 square metres. One contract is for a microfibre textiles and blankets factory, with an annual production capacity of 21 million pieces and 8,000 tonnes. This factory will be built on an area of 75,000 square metres with a self-funded investment of $28.2m, creating 1,250 direct jobs. Seventy per cent of its production is slated for export markets, with 30 per cent for the local market. Another signed project involves a factory for producing home textiles and furnishings, also on a 75,000 square metre plot in the West Qantara industrial zone. This project represents a self-funded investment of $29.2m and aims to produce 5.6 million pieces of textiles and 3,000 tonnes of home furnishings annually, providing 1,150 direct jobs. One hundred per cent of this factory's output is intended for export. Additionally, a contract was signed for an electric blanket and polyester textile factory, covering an area of 75,000 square metres with an investment of $17.625m, entirely self-funded. This project is noted as the first of its kind in Egypt, the Middle East, and Africa, being established by the world's largest Chinese manufacturer and exporter of electric blankets. The factory is projected to produce 5.6 million electric blankets and 3,000 tonnes of heating textiles annually, creating 1,200 direct jobs, with 100 per cent of its production destined for global markets. Gamal El-Din emphasised the significance of joint ventures between Egyptian and foreign investors, highlighting them as a successful model for industrial cooperation, technology transfer, and enhancing production expertise within SCZONE's industrial areas. He stated that international partnerships based on knowledge exchange and supply chain integration contribute to the state's goals of localising industries, boosting exports, and deepening local manufacturing. He further noted that SCZONE prioritises these investment models that combine national capabilities with global expertise to enhance the competitiveness of Egyptian products in regional and global markets. Gamal El-Din added that the participation of investors from major countries in advanced industries reflects SCZONE's attractive features and strategic location connecting global markets. He affirmed that the authority is committed to advancing this approach by expanding joint projects and offering flexible incentives and streamlined procedures to enable investors to expedite operations and ensure sustainable production and exports. With the signing of these three new contracts, the total number of projects in the West Qantara industrial zone rises to 44, covering an area of 2.7974 million square metres with total investments of $1.1685 billion and providing 60,165 direct job opportunities. This growth underscores the continuous investment expansion within SCZONE generally, and specifically highlights West Qantara's capacity to attract diverse projects in textiles, ready-made garments, and food industries.
