Cairo – Egypt’s Trade and Industry Minister Nevine Gamea opened on Sunday (9) the Egyplast expo that runs through January 13. About 22,000 people are expected to visit the exhibition.
The minister said the exhibition is the single most important event for businessmen interested in plastic and petrochemical industries locally and regionally, with 340 local and international companies taking part. The exhibition is held on an area of 20,000 meters, featuring 70 local manufacturing and export companies, in addition to 270 foreign companies representing nine countries, including India, Germany, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Vietnam, Switzerland, Turkey, Qatar and China.
Khaled Abu El-Makarem, head of the Export Council for Chemical Industries, said the value of investments in the diversified chemical industry is USD 10.5 billion; in plastics and rubber, around USD 8 billion; in paint, resin and varnish sector, around USD 7,75 billion; industrial detergents, approximately USD 3.6 billion; and in paper and carboard, around USD 3.5 billion.
El-Makarem said there are approximately 437 investment opportunities available for the petrochemical industry, according to Egypt’s investment map.
He mentioned that the plastic industry is deemed one of the supplying industries for many other sectors like the packing industry and engineering industries, besides being part of infrastructure projects like water and sewer pipes, electricity cables, as well as pharmaceutical packaging, chemical industries, durable consumer goods, and automobile industry.
El-Makarem pointed out that the production value of the sector is estimated at USD 44.18 billion, praising the current administration of the country for developing the sector, particularly for deepening local industrialization, as it is one of the key elements for reaching the economic development aimed at by 2030.
He also referred to a series of huge products under development in the chemical industries, including the Merghem Plastic Industries Complex, whose first phase includes approximately 240 plants, while its second phase will be implemented across a 52 hectare area with a total of 204 production units with a surface of 144 meters, representing a specific model of complete industrial incubators for small specialized projects, as well as contributing in the preparation and training of young investors and industrialists.
He pointed out the ETHYDCO Petrochemical Company complex in Alexandria. Deemed the largest petrochemical complex in the Middle East, with an estimated investment of approximately USD 1.9 billion and a production capacity of 460 tonnes of polyethylene and 400,000 tonnes of polyethylene, the two materials that most fuel many industries like water and sewer pipes, electricity, freshwater, oil bottles, and plastic tanks.
He also mentioned the expansion project of Sidi Kerir Company (Sidpec) in Alexandria for manufacturing propylene and its derivatives, as well as medical gases and hydrogen peroxide producers affiliated with the Nasr Chemical Company in Abu Rawash that contribute to meeting local demands of the medical oxygen market that is needed of hospitals, medical centers and support for many production projects as well as industrial uses for petroleum product companies and paper and textile industries.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
