From fiberglass to high-end curtain walls, new building materials are laying the foundation for Egypt.

Within the TEDA Cooperation Zone, numerous renowned new‑material construction firms are, in their own ways, contributing to the modern industrial edifice of Egypt, a land steeped in ancient civilization. From fiberglass and high‑end curtain walls to specialty glass, these cutting‑edge materials are elevating not only individual buildings but also the very stature of the nation’s industrial system.

The “ballast” of Egypt’s industrialization

Jushi Egypt Fiberglass Co., Ltd. is the undisputed “trump card” of the new‑type building materials industry in the TEDA Cooperation Zone.

Since its establishment in 2012, Jushi Egypt has completed the construction of four fiberglass production lines and associated auxiliary facilities within the Teda Industrial Park, with a total investment approaching US$1 billion. This makes it China’s largest-ever manufacturing investment in Egypt to date. By the end of 2022, Jushi Egypt’s fourth production line—capable of producing 120,000 tons of fiberglass annually—was commissioned, bringing the company’s annual capacity at the Egyptian site to 340,000 tons and establishing it as the largest fiberglass production base on the African continent. Thanks to Jushi’s presence, Egypt has risen to become the world’s fourth-largest producer of fiberglass.

The significance of Jushi Egypt extends far beyond its title as “Africa’s largest.” As China’s first large‑scale fiberglass production base built independently overseas, it has filled a critical technological gap in Africa’s fiberglass industry. More than 95% of the glass fiber it produces is shipped via the Suez Canal to Europe, the Americas, and other regions, generating roughly US$100 million in additional foreign exchange for Egypt each year and contributing over US$1 billion in cumulative foreign‑exchange earnings for the local economy. On the global stage, one out of every three wind turbine blades worldwide incorporates Jushi’s glass fiber—underscoring that Jushi Egypt’s products are not only a flagship export for Egypt but are also deeply integrated into the worldwide new‑energy value chain.

Walid Gamal El-Din, Chairman of the Suez Canal Economic Zone Authority in Egypt, commented: “Jushi Egypt is steadily expanding its investments in Egypt, creating substantial employment opportunities and driving the transformation and upgrading of the country’s manufacturing sector. Its products not only meet domestic demand but are also exported to European and American markets, generating valuable foreign exchange for Egypt.”

A “dual‑pronged strategy” spanning from photovoltaics to everyday consumer products.

Giant Stone Fiberglass has helped Egypt’s industrial sector reach new heights, while glass manufacturers continue to broaden the scope of the country’s building‑materials industry.

China Glass Holdings Co., Ltd.’s new‑energy glass project is the first glass‑manufacturing plant built by a Chinese enterprise in Egypt. Located in the expansion zone of the TEDA Industrial Park, the project boasts a total investment of RMB 2.23 billion and occupies 500,000 square meters. It will feature a 1,000‑ton‑per‑day float‑glass production line and an 800‑ton‑per‑day ultra‑clear rolled photovoltaic glass production line. Upon completion and commissioning, more than 70% of its output is expected to be exported to North Africa, the European Union, and other markets, with annual sales exceeding RMB 1.8 billion and creating nearly one thousand local jobs.

Delite Glass is entering the Egyptian market from a different angle. As the leading player in China’s domestic tableware glassware industry, Delite Co., Ltd. plans to invest approximately US$50 million in the TEDA Cooperation Zone to build a production base with an annual capacity of about 350 tons of tableware glassware, leveraging Egypt’s advantages in energy, labor, and geographic location to expand its overseas footprint. Egypt and its neighboring countries are key export markets for Chinese tableware glassware, and Delite’s localized production will further reduce logistics costs and enhance market responsiveness.

The entry of two glass manufacturers has not only filled several gaps in Egypt’s high-end glass‑manufacturing sector but also holds the potential to transform Egypt from a net importer of glass products into a regional export hub.

From “steel demand” to the “rigid support” of “curtain walls”

Egypt’s construction industry has long grappled with a thorny issue: large-scale steel structures and high-end curtain walls are heavily reliant on imports. Two subsidiaries of China State Construction Engineering Corporation have proposed a solution.

The China State Construction Steel Structure Egypt Manufacturing Plant covers an area of 27,000 square meters and is designed with an annual production capacity of 25,000 tons. It has introduced, on a large scale, intelligent manufacturing equipment independently developed by China State Construction Steel Structure, positioning itself as the most advanced smart steel‑structure fabrication base in Egypt and throughout North Africa. The plant has already obtained European standard certification, with its products serving other African and Middle Eastern markets while also targeting the European market. As China State Construction Steel Structure’s third overseas manufacturing facility, the Egypt plant will train a substantial pool of skilled local industrial workers, leverage a well‑integrated industrial chain to foster the development of supporting steel‑structure resources in Egypt, and elevate the country’s level of industrialization.

The curtain wall fabrication plant of China State Construction International Curtain Wall (Egypt) Co., Ltd. is also located in the TEDA Cooperation Zone, covering an area of 27,000 square meters. It operates four production lines and boasts a maximum annual capacity of 150,000 square meters. The facility specializes in the research and development, design, fabrication, sales, and installation of curtain walls, aluminum alloy doors and windows, and related interior and exterior decorative products, providing critical material support for key large-scale projects undertaken by China State Construction in Egypt, such as the New Alamein City.

The establishment of these two enterprises has enabled Egypt to break its longstanding reliance on 100% imported large-scale steel structures. Today, not only can Egypt’s landmark buildings directly utilize locally manufactured steel components and curtain‑wall systems, but the high‑end building materials produced in the TEDA Industrial Cooperation Zone are also reaching markets across the Mediterranean and Red Sea regions.

A complete industrial chain, contributing across all dimensions.

The new building materials industry makes multifaceted contributions to Egypt’s socio-economic development.

Large-scale import substitution. Jushi Egypt has filled the gap in fiberglass technology in Africa; China Glass and Deli have ended Egypt’s reliance on imported high-end glass; meanwhile, China Construction Steel Structure and its curtain‑wall factory have enabled the domestic production of large‑scale steel structures and premium curtain walls. Behind this import substitution lies a marked easing of pressure on Egypt’s foreign‑exchange reserves and a substantial reduction in construction costs.

Driving the overall upgrading of the construction industry. New‑type building materials not only meet domestic demand in Egypt but also generate foreign exchange through Egypt’s network of free trade agreements with Europe, the United States, Africa, and Arab countries. More than 95% of Jushi Egypt’s products are exported via the Suez Canal, while over 70% of Zhongbo’s output is destined for the North African and EU markets. Behind these global exports lies a corresponding enhancement in the international competitiveness of Egypt’s construction sector.

Employment and the ripple effects on industrial chains. Jushi Egypt has directly created over 2,000 jobs, effectively spurring robust growth across upstream and downstream sectors such as mining and packaging materials. The Sino‑Bosnia New Energy Glass project has generated approximately 700 jobs, while Deli Glass has supported around 500 positions. Moreover, China Construction Steel Structure’s local workforce development program will continue to supply the Egyptian steel‑structure industry with skilled professionals.

If Egypt’s industrial system were likened to a pyramid, the new‑type building‑materials industry in the TEDA Cooperation Zone would undoubtedly be one of its most solid foundations. From fibers to glass, from steel structures to curtain walls, Chinese enterprises have brought not only production lines and capacity, but also what a developing country most urgently needs in its industrialization process: technology transfer, industrial upgrading, and the ability to integrate into global supply chains. On this “hot spring” site along the Red Sea coast, a progressively expanding new landscape for Egypt’s building‑materials sector is rapidly taking shape.

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