Egypt eyes first $200m sodium cyanide production plant

Egypt’s Minister of Industry Khaled Hashem held talks with a delegation from DrasChem Specialized Chemicals, led by CEO Mohamed Abdel Aziz, to discuss plans to establish and operate the first sodium cyanide and derivatives production plant in Egypt and the Middle East.

The proposed project is expected to support Egypt’s industrial development strategy and deepen local manufacturing capabilities in advanced chemical industries.

During the meeting, the delegation presented details of the project’s first phase, which will be developed on an 80,000-square-metre plot within the Sidi Kerir Petrochemicals Company complex. The total plant area is expected to reach 157,000 square metres.

The project aims to localise advanced industrial technologies, with the company’s capital estimated at $10m, while total investments are projected to reach around $200m.

Once operational, the facility is expected to produce between 50,000 and 55,000 tonnes annually and create approximately 500 direct jobs, in addition to indirect employment opportunities across supply chains and related services.