SCZone Delegation Taps Chinese Manufacturers to Boost Local Industry
A high-level delegation from Egypt's General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE), led by Chairman Waleid Gamal El-Dien, continued its investment promotion tour across China by visiting Zhejiang Province to deepen industrial cooperation, particularly in the automotive and green energy sectors.
This initiative aims to localize key manufacturing industries in Egypt, increase export capacity, and support the country's strategy to become a hub for electric vehicle and renewable energy production.
The delegation kicked off the third day of the tour in Ninghai, where they visited the headquarters of KIBING Group, the world's second-largest producer of flat glass and the third-largest manufacturer of solar panel glass.
Gamal El-Dien revealed that KIBING is set to establish the region's largest solar glass factory in the Ain Sokhna Integrated Zone, under SCZONE. The plant will span 800,000 square meters, with an expected investment of $685 million, creating up to 3,000 direct jobs upon full operation.
Approximately 80% of the plant's output will be exported, primarily to European and American markets, with the remaining 20% allocated to the domestic Egyptian market, a share that could increase based on local demand.
The factory is expected to rely on Egyptian silica sand as a key input, contributing to the localization of the green energy industry. Coordination is underway with national authorities to secure energy and infrastructure needs for the project.
The delegation also visited Lynk & Co, an advanced vehicle manufacturing facility operated by Zhejiang Geely Holding in partnership with Sweden's Volvo. The visit focused on understanding cutting-edge automotive production processes and identifying investment requirements such as land, utilities, workforce needs, and technological transfer, core to Egypt's strategy of building a strong local auto industry.
Later in the day, the SCZONE team participated in a high-level roundtable organized by the Ningbo Foreign Affairs Office, with participation from senior officials including Yi Qijun, Director General for Europe and Africa Cooperation.
The session brought together six of China's leading auto parts manufacturers, including: Joyson (electronics, safety systems, displays), Minth Group (structural components, plastics; operates in the US, Mexico, Japan, Germany), Tuopu Group, Jifeng Co. (seating and interior systems), Ruitai (suspension and steering), Wuhan Auto.
Discussions centered on the potential for localizing auto parts manufacturing within SCZONE, viewed as essential for supporting a full-fledged automotive production ecosystem.
During the session, Waleid Gamal El-Dien gave a comprehensive presentation highlighting SCZONE's strategic geographic position, integrated industrial-port infrastructure, and access to major global markets through free trade agreements.
He emphasized Egypt's long-term goal: to position the country as a regional base for advanced and electric vehicle manufacturing and a critical supplier in global automotive and energy value chains.
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