• Khan: At Lafarge Egypt, we acknowledge our vital role in building sustainable cities through our innovative eco-friendly building solutions in line with our strategy that is based on the pillars of Egypt’s Vision 2030
• Kammah: Sokhna 360 achieves a perfect balance between competitive ROI and impacting the surrounding environment positively by adopting green, carbon neutrality, and Net-Zero initiatives
• Elmahdy: Geocycle Egypt supports the industrial sectors in adopting safer, smarter, and sustainable practices to manage waste, reducing their ecological footprint.

Geocycle - the leading provider of sustainable waste management solutions, and Lafarge Egypt for sustainable and innovative building solutions, members of Holcim Group, signed a cooperation agreement with Elsewedy Industrial Development, a leader in developing integrated and sustainable industrial zones and a subsidiary of Elsewedy Electric; with the aim of managing the generated construction and infrastructure waste and the future industrial waste of "Sokhna 360" project. This aligns with SCZone's objective to encourage and support sustainable development projects and green transformation, particularly through the launch of green fuel projects in the region.

The MoU paves the way for the integration of green and eco-friendly solutions by granting Geocycle the rights to contract with investor factories of the Sokhna 360 in the future, to safely and sustainably manage their industrial waste. Similarly, Lafarge Egypt will offer eco-friendly building solutions from cement or concrete. This promising cooperation is a major and necessary step in achieving green transformation in support of national and global trends in this regard.

Eng. Mohamed El Kammah, CEO of Elsewedy Industrial Development, expressed his delight with the new collaboration with Geocycle and Lafarge Egypt saying, “The collaboration works as a catalyst for implementing Sokhna 360 sustainability vision, achieving a perfect balance between competitive ROI and impacting the surrounding environment positively. It also integrates the green aspect and contributes to carbon neutrality and Net-Zero initiatives, which are among the most important SDGs in line with Egypt's Vision 2030 and Energy Strategy 2035."

He further explained that the project extends over a vast area of 10 mil m² to cater for all factory and investor needs, with an industrial zone spanning over 5.7 mil m² and green areas of over 700k m².

“The project works on two main axes: localization & export of industries and the second is promoting environmental sustainability. In the latter, Geocycle Egypt vital role comes to manage and dispose of industrial and construction waste utilizing the latest and safest global methods for the environment. Lafarge Egypt, on the other hand, provides sustainable and green building solutions.” Kammah stressed.

General Manager of Geocycle Egypt, Adham Elmahdy also said, “We are very proud to be partnering with Elsewedy as part of our unwavering mission towards accelerating the pace of achieving sustainability goals and reducing the current waste management practices’ detrimental effects on the environment. At Geocycle Egypt, we achieve this by providing the industrial sector with safe, smarter and more sustainable solutions to manage their waste, reducing their ecological footprint. These practices reflect positively on the Egyptian population and economy, contributing to the establishment of Egypt as a regional recycling hub.” 

Elmahdy added that once the Sokhna 360 project is operational, the company will work to contract its factories in order to manage their various industrial wastes. “The process is done through three sorting stations, a joint pre-processing platform, as well as final joint thermal treatment facilities at Lafarge Egypt cement furnaces.” He explained.

Jimmy Khan, CEO of Lafarge Egypt, a member of Holcim Group, also commented on the fruitful cooperation with Elsewedy Industrial Development, a leader in developing integrated and sustainable industrial zones in MENA, saying: “At Lafarge Egypt, we acknowledge our vital role in building sustainable cities through our innovative eco-friendly building solutions. This firm believe emerges from our strategy, which is based on the pillars of Egypt’s Vision 2030 and aligns with Holcim Group’s strategy prioritizing sustainable development and circular economy.”

Khan also highlighted Lafarge Egypt’s contribution to Sokhna 360 project, providing sustainable construction solutions to all factories in the project. The solutions include eco-friendly cement products from foundations to finishes and from eco-friendly concrete that reduces carbon emissions while maintaining the same performance.

Hossam Heiba, President of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), witnessed the “African Investments – Egyptian Industries in Tanzania” forum held in November 2023, under the auspices of GAFI. During this prominent event, Elsewedy Industrial Development (SD), a subsidiary of ELSEWEDY ELECTRIC, introduced its new industrial city in Tanzania. Gilead Teri, the Executive Director of Tanzania Investment Centre, and Yahya Al-Wathiq Billah, the Head of the Egyptian Commercial Service, were also present at the forum. They were joined by the President and CEO of ELSEWEDY ELECTRIC, Eng. Ahmed Elsewedy, the CEO of Elsewedy Industrial Development, Mohamed AlKammah, the East Africa Managing Director of ELSEWEDY ELECTRIC, Ibrahim Qamar, and 100 notable Egyptian industrialists.  

With an unwavering commitment to strengthening investment in Tanzania, Elsewedy Industrial Development has welcomed an eminent group of businessmen and investors for a productive meeting with Tanzanian counterparts and senior government officials. The discussion focused on the local business landscape, promising investment opportunities and attractive incentives for foreign investors. This gathering aimed to foster potential collaborations and mutually advantageous ventures in various sectors including engineering, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, and construction. Additionally, the participants explored the significant role played by SD to bolster investments in Tanzania.  

Heiba highlighted the significance of hosting the "African Investments – Egyptian Industries in Tanzania" forum as evidence of the ongoing development of Egyptian-Tanzanian relations across political, economic, and cultural spheres in recent years. He pointed out that there are numerous opportunities for future collaboration to promote growth and leverage the respective competitive advantages of both nations, notably their strategic geographical positioning and improved investment environment. 

On the other hand, Teri underscored the boundless investment opportunities in Tanzania. He discussed the incentives provided to international investors and the efficient single-window system designed to cater to their needs. Additionally, he mentioned that Tanzania boasts abundant natural resources and a large market with 60 million consumers.    

AlKammah expressed his great pleasure to participate in this gathering that united 100 distinguished leaders from the Egyptian industry. He eagerly anticipates collaborating in diverse fields and leveraging Egypt's industrial strengths for the mutual benefit of both nations. After AlKammah stated how he is looking forward to reinforcing trade and Egyptian investments in Tanzania, Ibrahim Qamar discussed the company's substantial investment contributions there. He emphasized several noteworthy projects such as the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project, which stands as the largest hydroelectric power station in Tanzania. It is worth mentioning that during COP28, Elsewedy Industrial Development achieved a significant milestone by officially receiving Elsewedy Industrial City (EIC) Incentive Certificate. Presented by H.E. the Tanzanian Minister Abdallah Ulega, the certificate was accepted by Eng. AlKammah, in the presence of Daoudi Riganda, TIC Head of Promotion, and Qamar. 

As the first fully integrated industrial hub in East Africa, EIC emerges as a growth epicenter for Tanzania and the entire continent. Offering world-class facilities and efficient planning, EIC aims to attract $400 million in investments, utilizing a utilities capacity of 30-70 MW. The targeted sectors include Building Materials, Engineering, Food and Beverages, and Pharmaceuticals. 

This endeavor reflects the shared vision between Egypt and Tanzania, emphasizing a commitment to expanding cooperation. Beyond land acquisition and development, collaboration involves facilitating land transfer to other investors within the industrial city, fostering economic development for mutual prosperity.  

Elsewedy Industrial City (EIC) in Tanzania, spanning an impressive area of 2.6 million square meters, is designed to accommodate strategically important industries. Additionally, the city will feature residential areas for workers and a range of amenities. Situated in the Kibaha District of Tanzania, the city enjoys a favorable location just 15 km away from the Kwala Dry Port, which is home to the Ruvu station of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). This railway system stretches across about 2,000 kilometers, connecting Dar es Salaam to the Industrial City and greatly reducing travel time between the two locations to 45 minutes. 

Middle East's Largest Agricultural Food Industries Complex at Elsewedy Industrial Development’s Industria Sadat 

Elsewedy Industrial Development, a subsidiary of ELSEWEDY ELECTRIC, signed an agreement with MAFI for Agricultural Produce Industries to allocate a 154,000 square meter industrial land in Industria Sadat City. The contract signing took place between Eng. Ahmed Elsewedy, President & CEO of ELSEWEDY ELECTRIC and Chairman of Elsewedy Industrial Development, and Ahmed Abou Hashima, Founder and Chairman of MAFI. The ceremony was attended by Eng. Mohamed AlKammah, CEO of Elsewedy Industrial Development, and Sherif Tantawy, CEO of MAFI for Agricultural Produce Industries. 

Eng. Ahmed Elsewedy expressed his enthusiasm for the project, emphasizing its substantial contribution to the Egyptian economy. He highlighted that this complex aims to export 80% of its production capacity. Elsewedy also underscored the Egyptian industry’s competitiveness on a global scale compared to other countries. 

Ahmed Abou Hashima stated that the complex aims to support the Egyptian economy by maximizing the value of local agricultural resources through manufacturing. He expressed his satisfaction in collaborating with Elsewedy Industrial Development, highlighting that the complex will feature advanced technology in the agricultural food sector in partnership with major international companies.  

Further, he noted that the project will create over 7,000 direct and indirect job opportunities, thus helping to reduce unemployment. 

Eng. Mohamed AlKammah emphasized that the addition of the agricultural products industry enhances industrial diversity in Sadat City. He illustrated that the project is one of the largest complexes for agricultural products and food in the region.  

Highlighting Elsewedy Industrial Development's expertise, AlKammah indicated that the company has 15 years of experience in building and developing sustainable industrial cities. He further spotlighted the significance of Elsewedy Technical Academy that provides a qualified, trained technical workforce to serve investors within Elsewedy’s industrial cities. 

According to this agreement, MAFI will invest approximately $300 million to establish a complex comprising five plants. The complex will include two of Egypt's largest plants for producing orange concentrates, tomatoes, various fruits, and essential oils. It will also feature the Middle East's first Cloudy Products plant and one of the world's largest freeze-drying facilities.

The signing of an industrial land allocation contract between Elsewedy Industrial Development a subsidiary of Elsewedy Electric Company, and Futurefert, owned by the Emirati Sharkia Holding Limited ceremony which took place at the SCZONE pavilion at COP28, aims at producing agricultural enricher materials on an area of 127 thousand sqm within the "SOKHNA360" project. 

The contract was signed by Engineer Mohamed AlKammah, CEO of Elsewedy Industrial Development, and Mr. Mohamed Nour, Managing Director of Futurefert Egypt. The cooperation between the two parties aims for Futurefert Egypt to invest up to 50 million USD for the first and second phases of the project to establish an agricultural enrichment complex using the latest manufacturing technology according to European Environmental Standards and compatible with the latest environmental regulations and global standards.  

Situated within the strategic location of SOKHNA360, part of the Suez Canal Economic Zone, the project benefits from unparalleled connectivity, enabling efficient export to Europe, Asia, and Africa. The economic zone's economic incentives and advantages further enhance the project's viability for exporters. 

The factory aims to produce at least 300,000 tons of agricultural enrichments in the first phase that aligns with the green and environmentally friendly solutions in the fully integrated industrial zone, through the use of the latest manufacturing technologies that reduce emissions by 90% and recycle industrial waste. In this matter, this promising cooperation is a major step towards achieving the green transition in support of national and international initiatives, which also aims to create 500 new job opportunities.