Elsewedy’s USD 500 mn GCC push

Elsewedy Electric plans to establish nine facilities in Saudi Arabia and two in Qatar, CEO Ahmed El Sewedy told Asharq Business. The expansion aims to diversify export hubs and strengthen regional competitiveness, investor relations head Noha Agaiby told EnterpriseAM.

The details: The company is earmarking SAR 1.5 bn (USD 400 mn) for the Saudi facilities. They include two plants in Yanbu, one of which will produce specialized cables and another for copper rods (a JV with Alfanar) with a capacity exceeding 130k tons. Riyadh will see plants for cable accessories, fiberglass, EV chargers, and water meters, while a new Dammam facility will produce power transformers.

In Qatar, the company plans to invest QAR 250 mn (USD 67 mn) in plants for copper and aluminum rods and power distribution transformers, with production set to begin in 2027.

SCZone locks-in solar + pharma facilities

#1- Atum Solar broke ground on a USD 220 mn solar manufacturing complex in the SCZone. The facility is set to produce an annual 2 GW each of solar cells and modules, plus 1 GWh of battery storage systems. The JV between Egypt’s AH Group, China’s JA Solar, the UAE’s Global South Utilities, and Bahrain’s Infinity Capital plans to export all solar cell output to global markets, while modules and storage systems will target local and regional markets. The facility is expected to create some 850 jobs.

#2- Gennecs Egypt Pharmaceuticals laid the cornerstone yesterday for what will be a USD 220 mn vaccine production facility. The GennVax complex in the SCzone will kick off production at some 70-80 mn doses per year and has a nameplate capacity of 270 mn at full capacity. The company hopes to export up to 40% of its output. Our friend Hassan El Khatib, Egypt’s minister of investment, did the honors at a ceremony yesterday.

The project is moving towards implementation more than two years after it was granted agolden license, according to a cabinet statement. The facility will be the largest of its kind in Egypt, producing 29 types of vaccines and sera.

Tamweel, Souhoola wrap securitizations

#1- Tamweel Mortgage has closed a EGP 2.1 bn securitization issuance. The sale is the second under its EGP 5 bn, three-year multi-issuance program, according to a statement (pdf). The issuance, backed by a portfolio of mortgage receivables, included five tranches rated between AA+ (sf) and A- (sf) by Meris.

Advisors: Al Ahly Pharos and Beltone served as financial advisors and lead arrangers on the transaction, with Dreny & Partners providing counsel. Al Ahly Pharos, NBE, Banque du Caire, Banque Misr, and SCBank served as underwriters. ADCB acted as custodian, SCBank as bookrunner, and Baker Tilly as auditor.

#2- Meanwhile, Souhoola has concluded a EGP 585 mn issuance. The three-tranche offering is the second under its three-year, EGP 3.5 bnsecuritization program, according to a statement (pdf). The issuance tenors range from 12 to 36 months, rated Prime 1, A+, and A- by Meris.

Advisors:CI Capital and CIB served as financial advisors, arrangers, global managers, issuance managers and bookrunners.

Tourism investors in South Sinai catch a break

The Tourism Development Authority (TDA) is offering relief measures to investors in the Taba-Nuweiba area to cushion the blow from the war in Gaza. Investors will be able to defer debt repayments for an additional year and suspend repayments for 18 months without interest penalties. Land payment exemptions can be extended to three years, Asharq Business quotes TDA head Mostafa Mounir as having said.

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