Khaled Hashem, Minister of Industry, accompanied by Ibrahim Saber, Governor of Cairo, inspected five factories specialized in manufacturing marble and granite products, in addition to the Mining and Marble Industries Technology Center in the Shaq Al-Tha’ban industrial zone.
This is to determine the progress of production operations in the field and to identify the needs of manufacturers, within the framework of the state’s support for industrial zones and enhancing the competitiveness of the building materials and mining sector.
During the tour, the Minister was accompanied by Dr. Nahed Youssef, Chairman of the Industrial Development Authority, and a number of leaders of the Ministry of Industry. The Minister stressed the Ministry’s keenness to provide all means of support to the industrial zones and facilitate procedures, stressing the importance of completing the facilities in the Shaq Al-Tha’ban area and legalizing the conditions of unlicensed factories, allowing them to benefit from technical services and support programs, and contributing to enhancing their ability to access export markets.
The Minister began his tour by inspecting the United Company for Marble and Granite factory, which is located on an area of 4,300 square meters, with investments amounting to 70 million pounds, and a production capacity of up to 390,000 square meters annually, with a local component of 50%, as the company exports about 40% of its production to the markets of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and provides 40 direct and indirect job opportunities.
The Minister was briefed on the production and processing lines inside the factory.
During the tour, the minister listened to the demands of manufacturers related to the need to provide trained workers through establishing a specialized training center, improving the efficiency of industrial facilities, and providing basic services in the region, including health units and ambulances.
The Minister stressed that the Ministry is working to meet these needs in coordination with the concerned authorities, in a way that contributes to improving the industrial work environment and raising production efficiency.
The minister then inspected the Global Astons factory for marble and granite products, which is located on an area of 14.3 thousand square meters, with investments amounting to 100 million pounds, with a production capacity of 754 thousand square meters annually, and a local component of 80%, as the company exports its entire production to more than 73 countries around the world, and provides 140 direct and indirect job opportunities. The Minister was briefed on the latest Italian production lines that meet the requirements of local and international markets.
The tour also included an inspection of the Mining and Marble Industries Technology Center, where the Minister was briefed on its various departments, which include research and development, evaluation of quarries and mines, mining industries, marble and granite, and the laboratory, stressing the pivotal role of the center in supporting the competitiveness of industrial minerals, stones and quarries in accordance with international quality standards and best global practices.
The minister also inspected the factory of the Egyptian Company for Industry and Building Development, which is built on an area of 11,000 square meters, with investments amounting to one billion pounds, with a production capacity of 400,000 square meters annually, with a local component of 55%. The company exports about 15% of its production to global and Arab markets, and provides 250 direct job opportunities and 5,000 indirect job opportunities. The minister was briefed on the production lines and fourth-generation machines linked to an integrated resource management system that allows real-time oversight of the operating stages.
The tour also included the Modern Marble Company’s factory for marble and granite, which is built on an area of 25,000 square meters, with investments amounting to 177 million pounds, with a production capacity of 120,000 square meters annually, with a local component of 80.3%. The company exports about 85% of its production to foreign markets, and provides 500 direct and indirect job opportunities.
The Minister inspected the table factories designated for export, the CNC factory and decorative works, and the manufacturing and container processing rooms.
The minister concluded his tour by inspecting the Al-Hasna Industrial Development Company factory, which is built on an area of 33,000 square meters with investments amounting to 250 million pounds, with a production capacity of up to 300,000 flat meters annually, with a local component of 80%, as the company exports 60% of its production to the markets of Europe, America, and Australia, and provides about 1,000 direct job opportunities.
At the conclusion of the tour, the Minister of Industry confirmed that the Mining and Marble Industries Technology Center represents a fundamental pillar in supporting industries related to metals and stones, and that the Ministry is continuing to implement its plans to develop industrial zones and raise the efficiency of infrastructure and services, in a way that enhances the ability of Egyptian products to compete in global markets and supports the state’s trend towards increasing industrial exports.
