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 Amr El Sawaf, General Manager of Elsewedy Cables (LinkedIn), to explore the company’s journey, market leadership, and how it’s navigating an increasingly competitive global industry.

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From family business to industrial powerhouse: Elsewedy Cables started as a trading company in the 1930s, run by the Elsewedy family, before shifting gears to manufacturing in the early 1980s. Over the years, it expanded from producing electrical cables to a full-fledged infrastructure solutions provider, covering accessories, raw materials, and high-tech industrial components. Nowadays, Elsewedy Cables operates 40 industrial facilities across Egypt, the Middle East, and Africa, with a strong presence in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Algeria, Tanzania, and Zambia.

Why 100% local isn’t always possible: Elsewedy’s production lines use 40-90% locally sourced materials, but achieving full localization isn’t straightforward. Due to the limited local supply, key raw materials like copper and plastic polymers are still imported.

Rather than relying on volatile global markets, Elsewedy has poured significant investment into value-added processing. Instead of merely importing copper coils, the company processes and refines them locally, ensuring they’re production-ready, cutting costs, and improving efficiency.

It’s also building up domestic supply chains by working closely with local material suppliers, helping them improve quality standards and expand their capabilities. The goal? A self-sufficient industrial ecosystem that keeps more production within Egypt’s borders.

A USD 1 bn export engine: Elsewedy Cables ships 70-80% of its production abroad, generating over USD 1 bn in export revenue annually. Its products reach 100+ countries, with Europe as its biggest market, followed by North America, Asia, and Africa.

Beyond just cables: The company is a key supplier of transformers, meters, and electrical infrastructure components, serving utility companies and power grid developers worldwide. European firms even rely on Elsewedy Cables for infrastructure projects across Asia and Africa, solidifying its role as a global industry leader. In 2024, the cables and wires sector made up 68.3% of Elsewedy Electric’s total revenues, which hit EGP 100.2 bn in 9M 2024.

Navigating economic turbulence: As global raw material prices soar and the EGP fluctuates, Elsewedy’s export-driven strategy has been a major stabilizing force. Competing in international markets keeps the company sharp, pushing it to innovate, refine its operations, and adapt to global demand trends.

How Elsewedy cracks new markets: Unlike companies that dive headfirst into new markets, Elsewedy takes a phased approach. It starts by selling through distributors, gradually expanding to supply operational and maintenance equipment, and eventually becoming a direct supplier for large-scale energy projects. This strategy builds trust over time and ensures steady, long-term growth instead of risky expansion bursts.

Why Elsewedy Cables wins against global giants: The company’s geographic advantage is a game-changer. Egypt sits at the crossroads of Africa, Europe, and Asia, allowing fast shipping and easy trade agreements with major global markets. Cost efficiency also plays a major role — Elsewedy’s production costs are lower than those of its Chinese, European, and American rivals, making it an attractive supplier for global energy firms seeking to cut costs without compromising quality.

Reliability is the real competitive edge: In the cables industry, delays aren’t an option. Elsewedy has built its reputation by ensuring on-time delivery and consistent quality, making it a preferred supplier for critical energy projects. Clients frequently audit their factories, checking that manufacturing processes meet international standards. That level of transparency has cemented Elsewedy Cables as a trusted name in the industry.

Building Egypt’s biggest telecom cable factory: In February, Elsewedy opened Egypt and the Middle East’s largest telecom cable factory — an EGP 2 bn investment spanning 70k sqm in Elsewedy’s Tenth of Ramadan Industria zone. The plant will produce 4 mn km of fiber optic cables and 200k km of copper telecom cables annually, with half its output designated for export.

Dealing with global supply chain chaos: From Red Sea shipping disruptions to price hikes driven by the Russia-Ukraine war, global trade hasn’t been smooth sailing. But Elsewedy stayed ahead of the curve by stockpiling essential raw materials and expanding logistics operations to prevent supply chain bottlenecks. This has meant higher storage and financing costs, but the payoff is uninterrupted production and the ability to meet demand without delays.

A future built on expansion: Elsewedy Cables is doubling down on manufacturing, exports, and global expansion. With demand for energy infrastructure skyrocketing, the company is strategically positioned to strengthen its foothold in global markets while continuing to drive Egypt’s industrial ambitions forward.

Your top industrial development stories for the week:

• Madbouly inaugurates Sokhna Industrial Zone factories: Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly inaugurated a handful of factories by local and international companies in SCZone’s Sokhna Industrial Zone on Thursday, including Flex PET’s USD 175 mn PET resin factory and Cady’s USD 100 mn textile factory, among others.
• Chinese appliance manufacturer Haier plans to inject USD 500 mn over the next five years to expand its industrial complex in Tenth of Ramadan to increase its production capacity 5x.
• EGX-listed Qalaa Holdings inaugurated a new herb drying facility for its subsidiary Dina Farms, completing the EGP 400 mn first phase of the project. The factory has received the needed international certifications to begin production for export, the release added.