MANUFACTURER OF THE MONTH- Each month, we spotlight a major industrial player shaping Egypt’s manufacturing landscape. Whether homegrown or international, these companies play a crucial role in driving the country’s industrial ambitions. For today’s edition, we sat down with Senol Keserlioglu (LinkedIn), general manager of Hayat Egypt, the local arm of Turkey’s Hayat Group — a global player in hygiene and tissue products.

Hayat Egypt was established as part of Hayat Group, one of the largest producers of baby diapers and the biggest tissue paper manufacturer in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Africa. The Turkish group operates six production facilities in Egypt — in Sixth of October City and Ain Sokhna’s industrial zone — with total local investments reaching USD 632 mn to date, making it the largest Turkish investor in Egypt. Its brands include Molfix, Bebem Natural, Molped, Papia, and Familia. The Sixth of October facility focuses on baby and feminine hygiene products, while the Ain Sokhna complex handles nonwoven textiles, facial tissues, packaging, face masks, and sanitary pads.

Hayat Egypt’s factories produce 2.1 bn baby diapers, 450 mn sanitary pads, 60k tons of tissue paper, and 50k tons of nonwoven rolls each year, Keserlioglu tells us. Its latest facility, a tissue paper plant in Ain Sokhna launched this month with an annual capacity of 60k tons. Dedicated entirely to exports, the plant is expected to bring in USD 75 mn in export revenue annually, with Europe and Saudi Arabia among its key destinations.

Its new Ain Sokhna factory mirrors the Turkish parent company’s advanced sustainability practices, especially in water usage. According to Keserlioglu, Hayat’s water-efficient engineering makes it the lowest water consumer per ton of tissue output in Turkey — and the third lowest across Europe.

Hayat is gearing up to invest another USD 80 mn in two new local plants by the end of 2026, raising its Egypt investments above USD 710 mn. The first new plant — slated to break ground within two months — will launch by 1Q 2026 and cater entirely to exports. The second, still in feasibility stage, will split output between the local market and exports.

Vertical integration and value chain localization are central to the company’s approach. Its nonwoven fabric plant ensures local control over one of the key raw materials for diaper manufacturing. “We produce core components in-house and innovate at every step — from raw materials to finished goods,” Keserlioglu says.

That said, full self-sufficiency isn’t possible. Hayat still imports pulp from Brazil and Finland and some chemicals from Saudi Arabia’s SABIC, as they’re not locally produced. “If local alternatives meet our quality standards, we’ll switch,” Keserlioglu adds.

Hayat holds roughly 20% of Egypt’s baby diaper market and 25% of the feminine care segment. From July 2023 to July 2024, its feminine care business grew 15%, and its tissue segment grew 9%. Globally, the company is the fourth-largest baby diaper producer and the top tissue producer across the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Africa.

Egypt has become Hayat’s second-largest production center after Turkey, thanks to its location and trade agreements with Europe, Asia, Africa, and Arab countries. Keserlioglu says export sales have exceeded USD 460 mn since the company began operations here in 2012 — USD 150 mn of which came in 2024 alone. Exports now account for 37% of total revenue, with the local market making up the remaining 63%.

Amid inflationary pressure and weakened purchasing power, Hayat Egypt is doubling down on innovation. “We’re offering a wide product range tailored to different affordability levels, without sacrificing quality,” Keserlioglu. During the previous shortage of foreign currency, Hayat Turkey stepped in to help the Egypt arm meet its import commitments. Expanding exports, Keserlioglu says, remains the most reliable path toward financial resilience and a stronger local economy.

The B2B segment is gaining traction, with Hayat Egypt’s dedicated business solutions line — branded Fox — targeting hotels, hospitals, and restaurants. The segment accounts for 10% of domestic sales and is expected to grow.

E-commerce remains small — but it’s evolving. While Hayat sells online, e-commerce still represents a small share of total sales. “We’re not aggressively chasing growth in this channel, but we’re laying the groundwork for future expansion as the local market evolves,” Keserlioglu says.

The company is in the final stages of securing the EU Ecolabel for its tissue products — a prestigious certification that affirms environmental safety and manufacturing quality, and a requirement to access European markets, we were told.