Ariston’s water heater factory goes online: Italian home appliances manufacturer Ariston has inaugurated its new water heater factory in 6th of October yesterday. The plant that will cost more than USD 20 mn will produce electric and gas-powered water heaters, Executive VP for MEA & Asia Pacific Umberto Crovella told EnterpriseM.

During its first phase, the plant will have an initial production capacity of 400k-500k units a year and employ over 359 people. Capacity could be doubled in future phases depending on market demand, Crovella told us, adding that the second and third phases of the projects are already in the pipeline.

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What’s next? Ariston plans to begin working on phase two of the plant late 2026 or early 2027; it should come online within 18-24 months, Crovella told us. A slowdown in market demand could delay the plan, but “it won’t be canceled,” he said.

Exports to come later: The bulk of production is earmarked for the local market, but Ariston will begin exporting when more phases come online — starting with nearby MENA markets and potentially scaling up to become part of the group’s 70-country export network, Ariston Egypt Country Manager Tarek Refaat told EnterpriseAM.

Ariston is no stranger to the Egyptian market: The group has been active in Egypt for years, and earlier this year expressed its intent to double down its production in the country. Alongside its newly inaugurated plant, the company also operates three other factories in Obour City.

The Italian player wants a piece of our growing market: Egypt’s water heater market sells around 1.5 mn units a year, and Ariston wants to capture at least 10% of the market in the coming years, Crovella told us.

SUNGROW EYES MAJOR BATTERY STORAGE PLANT IN EGYPT-

Chinese renewables firm Sungrow is looking to set up a battery storage factory with an annual capacity of 10 GW in Egypt, as part of the country’s plans to localize components for renewables, according to an Ittihadiya statement. This came during a meeting between President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and the heads of Sungrow and Norway’s Scatec to discuss expanding their investments in Egypt.

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