The Federation of Egyptian Industries said the petroleum and mining chambers, the Egyptian General Authority for Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Petroleum are coordinating to organize a tender process this year for a range of raw materials, applying the value added system for sulfur, sand and other materials.
The Federation added that investment opportunities also exist in the printing industry, such as the construction of a writing and printing paper mill, which would produce minimum 200,000 tonnes of paper per year. The value of the investment is estimated at around LE2 billion. Other opportunities of investment in the sector, requiring further studies, involve the production of paper from sugarcane pulp (bagasse).
In the leather industry, investment opportunities include establishing 100 leather factories and 1000 smaller workshops in the 10th of Ramadan City. Also, the Federation has signalled possibilities of investment in boron extraction from natural and artificial salt evaporation ponds, as well as the production of magnesium sulfate. In addtion, silicone and its components can be produced from white sand (silicone rubber), as well as silicone grease, mirrors for solar panels, and phthalic anhydride (a basic material in the plastic resins industry).
The Federation suggested presenting the above-mentioned projects and opportunites to investors taking part in the economic summit, in addition to the development of the Iron and Steel Company in Helwan, and the Nag Hammadi Aluminum Company.
The Federation also pointed to opportunities in the polymers and metal industry, especially in the production of nails, bolts, and welding wire, as well as the development of fish processing plants at Bardawil and the High Dam, to match international standards. It suggested the renovation of the Egyptian Chemical Industries (Kima), given it's supporting role for many other industries, and encouraged the production of petrochemical derivatives from recycled plastics.
Finally, the Federation proposed the establishment of a set of specialized oncological hospitals in Assiut, Sohag, and Aswan, as well as a specialized medical complex for the treatment of rare and critical cases in the area of neurology, organ and bone marrow transplants and advanced heart surgery, which would include accommodation and airstrips to receive patients from abroad. An important initiative suggested by the Federation is the establishment of a factory to produce medical equipment, 80% of which is currently imported, including surgical gloves, containers and other medical devices.
