China’s Henan Zhongfu to build USD 2 bn aluminum hub in Egypt

China’s Henan Zhongfu to roll out USD 2 bn aluminum plant in SCZone

Chinese aluminum manufacturer Henan Zhongfu will set up a USD 2 bn aluminum megaproject in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), according to a cabinet statement. The 1 mn sqm facility in East Port Said will target high-value deep processing for the automotive and electronics sectors.

Why it matters: Egypt is emerging as the primary “safe harbor” for heavy industry as regional conflict cripples the GCC’s aluminum giants. With Iranian facilities offline and drone strikes targeting Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Global Aluminum and Aluminum Bahrain, prices went up nearly 5% last month — moving steadily toward a projected USD 4k per ton. By landing this project now, the SCZone is an increasingly important node in the global supply chain.

Mobica diversifies into the automotive supply chain with USD 20 mn investments

Furniture maker Mobica pushing deeper into making parts of the car industry, with some USD 20 mn earmarked this year to expand into automotive components and agriculture, CEO Mohamed Farouk told Alsharq Business. The company plans on expanding into new projects in the industrial and logistics sectors before the end of 1H 2026.

Why it matters: We’re seeing more big industrial players chasing a cheaper EGP into sectors with high export potential or government-backed localization mandates. Mobica is eyeing incentives under the National Automotive Industry Development Program (AIDP), which targets 100k vehicles annually with 60% local content. Mobica is essentially wagering that its existing manufacturing scale can solve a critical supply chain bottleneck for local assemblers.

Saint-Gobain places EUR 215 mn wager on Egypt’s auto and solar supply chains

French industrial giant Saint-Gobain is moving ahead with plans to bring two new factories online by September 2026, investing a combined EUR 215 mn, according to an Industry Ministry statement. The expansion includes a EUR 175 mn specialized glass plant in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) and a EUR 40 mn gypsum board facility in Sadat City.

Why it matters: The two plants will add to Egypt’s high-value industrial output. The SCZone plant will focus on specialized glass for the automotive and solar sectors, while the Sadat City facility is being built with an aggressive 60% export mandate. This will help the firm expand its EUR 60 mn worth of exports from Egypt and double its Africa-bound exports to EUR 120 mn.