Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone has signed a contract to develop a large prefabricated industrial complex in Qantara West, as the government accelerates efforts to expand manufacturing capacity and attract new investors.
The EGP 1bn ($20.3mn) project will be developed by the Main Development Company, the zone’s development arm, and will span 200,000 sq metres. Designed as a plug-and-play facility, the complex will offer ready-to-operate factory units, allowing companies to begin production without building facilities from scratch.
Development will be implemented in two phases over 36 months, with each phase covering 100,000 sq metres at a cost of EGP 500mn. The first phase is scheduled for completion within 18 months, according to SCZone.
SCZone chairman Walid Gamal El-Din said the project is aimed primarily at small and medium-sized manufacturers, particularly in textiles, food processing, agro-industry and medical supplies. The model has already been applied in the Ain Sokhna industrial zone, he added.
Separately, the SCZone signed an agreement with Pitcairn Food Industries to establish a $8mn food processing plant in Ain Sokhna. Built on a 10,000 sq metre site, the facility is expected to produce 18,000 tonnes of frozen vegetables and potatoes annually, alongside 73mn ready-made meals, with production due to start in early 2027. The project is expected to create 450 direct jobs.
The plant will serve domestic and regional markets — including airlines, hotels, hospitals and humanitarian relief operations — with a strong focus on exports.
SCZone oversees four industrial zones — Qantara West, Ain Sokhna, East Port Said and East Ismailia — linked to six ports along the Suez Canal corridor. Officials say the latest projects underscore the zone’s strategy to deepen industrial localisation, support SMEs and strengthen Egypt’s position as a regional manufacturing and export hub.
