A delegation from the Egyptian Petrochemicals Holding Company (ECHEM), headed by Chairman Ibrahim Mekky, visited China to explore strategic partnerships and potential localisation opportunities in high-value industries in Egypt.
The visit included tours of advanced industrial complexes in the cities of Lanzhou and Zibo, covering sectors such as metallurgical silicon, nylon, and soda ash. In Lanzhou, the delegation inspected a metallurgical silicon facility operating 28 furnaces, each producing 15,000 tonnes annually. The plant reportedly operates at 108% capacity utilization and plans to add 11 new furnaces to meet rising demand from aluminum, alloy, and silicone industries.
In Zibo, the delegation visited a nylon production plant run by China TianChen Engineering Corporation (TCC), a subsidiary of China National Chemical Engineering Company (CNCEC). Company officials delivered a presentation of the production process, which employs Chinese-patented “Butadiene Hydrocyanation” technology introduced in 2015.
The first phase of the nylon project has a production capacity of around 300,000 tons of acrylonitrile, 200,000 tons of hexamethylenediamine, 200,000 tons of adiponitrile, and 200,000 tons of Nylon 66 and its derivatives. Total investments for the phase amount to 10.4 billion Chinese yuan.
Discussions during the visit included potential technology transfer to Egypt and opportunities for industrial integration with key Egyptian sectors such as automotive, cables, industrial textiles, and electronics—industries experiencing rapid growth and increasing demand for intermediate and specialised materials.
The Egyptian delegation wrapped up its official visit to Tianjin with a series of strategic meetings with senior leadership from China TianChen Engineering Corporation (TCC), aimed at strengthening industrial cooperation and fast-tracking the execution of key joint projects.
During the talks, Chairman Ibrahim Mekky and his delegation reviewed the status of three general contractor agreements signed earlier this year with TCC, covering soda ash, metallurgical silicon, and bioethanol projects. With a combined value of approximately $1 billion, the projects are considered vital to Egypt’s efforts to localize manufacturing, reduce reliance on imports, and integrate advanced technologies into the domestic industrial base.
Both sides agreed on the need to condense project timelines and to submit revised implementation schedules in line with international standards. To maintain momentum, ECHEM and representatives from TCC and its parent company, China National Chemical Engineering Company (CNCEC), will hold regular follow-up meetings to review progress and proactively address any potential challenges.
The visit follows the July 2025 signing of a non-binding framework agreement in Beijing between the Red Sea National Petrochemicals Company and CNCEC to implement the Red Sea Petrochemical Project in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE). According to Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, the initiative is one of the country’s most significant upcoming ventures in the chemical industries sector.
