Beko Egypt for home appliances, a subsidiary of Arçelik, Saturday celebrated laying the foundation stone for its first factory in Egypt at the 10th of Ramadan Industrial Zone. The plant will be built on a total area of 114,000 sqm.
The state-of-the-art manufacturing site is on the heels of fruitful discussions between the Egyptian government and Arçelik, a global household appliances manufacturer and a subsidiary of Koç Holding. Both parties had come together to explore investment opportunities and means to increase local employment and create value for local industries and communities.
The investment marks a significant milestone and is expected to boost the regional economy by creating more than 2,000 jobs and transferring technical know-how. In addition, the factory will develop local supplier ecosystems to create sustainable value for all industries while supporting the government’s long-term strategy to drive industrial localization and establish Egypt as a significant production and export hub to overseas markets.
Scheduled to begin operations by Q4 2023, the plant is projected to manufacture an annual capacity of 1.5 million household appliances, more than 60% planned for export to Europe, the Middle East & Africa as “Made in Egypt”, with around $250mn in annual export potential. The first phase of the investment will focus on producing eco-friendly cookers and refrigerators
The “Zero Waste” factory will also support Egypt’s vision 2030 for a green economy and use cutting-edge technologies, including rooftop solar panels and renewable energy, as it works towards meeting local market needs and supporting government efforts to achieve its SDGs.
The event was attended by Mohamed Abdel Wahab, GAFI CEO; Mohamed ElSayed, Director of the European affairs & Turkey Department at ECS; Mohamed Youssef, Head of Investment Promotion at GAFI; and Ahlam Farouk, Head of the Central Administration for the Protection and Improvement of Industrial Environment and Energy at Ministry of Environment.
In addition, Salih Mutlu Şen, Turkey’s Ambassador to Egypt; Fatih Kemal Ebiçlioğlu, Koç Holding, Consumer Durables Group President; Hakan Bulgurlu, Arçelik CEO; and Ümit Günel, Beko Egypt General Manager witnesseed the ceremony.
Mohamed Abdel Wahab, GAFI CEO, expressed his happiness at laying the foundation stone for Beko Egypt factory stating “Today, Egypt is witnessing radical changes that transfers it to the encyclopedia of the most attractive countries for investment in various fields, with the participation of the private sector. This comes in line with the country’s economic roadmap and within the framework of free market mechanisms and support for competition.” “The government, with all its authorities, seeks to provide a supportive environment for the performance of business in which transparency, governance and the rule of law prevail, in addition to the keenness of the General Investment Authority to provide all means of support for such projects from the private sector and to address all the challenges it might face.” He added
Mohamed El-Sayed stressed that Turkish investments in Egypt are highly regarded, respected, and welcomed by both the government and people as these investments represent important steps in implementing Egypt’s vision, stating, “We are very glad that Arçelik is a new and important member joining the Turkish investment community in Egypt bringing to the market a vital product sector which is home appliances. We really look forward to seeing Beko tag made in Egypt very soon in the Egyptian market as well as foreign markets.”
Ahlam Farouk expressed her happiness to be present at this event that sees great interest in technology, and reduction of environmental pollutants and harmful emissions, by bringing together those calling for change to deploy environmentally friendly technologies towards achieving the SDGs, highlighting that the Egyptian Ministry of Environment seeks to improve the industrial environment by raising energy efficiency and rationalization, reducing pollution rates, and increasing public awareness of environmental aspects, in line with 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Additionally, Koç Holding Consumer Durables Group President, Fatih Kemal Ebiçlioğlu stated “We strongly believe in Egypt’s potential. The pace of growth is promising, and Egypt plays a vital role in our strategy. We are confident that this strategic investment will reinforce our long-standing commitment as we are highly motivated to use our global expertise, scale, and knowledge to make this investment a remarkable success. With Arçelik’s sound vision and vigorous sustainability drive, this investment, for sure, will be a model for sustainable growth and advanced manufacturing.”
Arçelik CEO Hakan Bulgurlu commented “With a growing population and thriving economy, Egypt provides vast opportunities for the business community. We are poised to combine our innovative manufacturing approach with the strategic opportunities Egypt offers. As Europe’s leading brand, Beko will replicate its achievements in Egypt. Sustainability is incorporated as an essential strategy in every facet of our business, from sourcing our materials to our product design and recycling programs. We will also reflect on our sustainability know-how, insights, and learnings in this new facility to quickly turn this investment into an exemplary success story.”
On his part, Beko Egypt General Manager Ümit Günel stated “Today, we are witnessing a new milestone and opening a new gateway with the Beko factory in Egypt. This journey is just the beginning. We are currently studying the extension of the factory with new product categories. We also have another investment project which we call a retail factory. We will open 250 new showrooms and 50 service centers across Egypt and deliver world-class quality to our customers. This project will add new employment opportunities and create value for the Egyptian economy. We proudly received the market leadership position in the dishwasher category this year, and we aim to continue our leadership and work towards becoming the top 3 home appliances brands in Egypt.”
