The government-owned Al-Arish Cement plant is located just outside Beni Suef, where six cement production lines now sit side by side id due in large part to the endeavours of China National Materials Group (CNMG - part of Sinoma group) that erected the 6000tpd plant in just two years.
"It is the biggest cement plant in the world to be built all at one time and in one place," said Wu Yong project manager at CNMG. "The schedule was really tight for us.
"We signed the contract on 1 June 2016 and were required to start production by the end of 2017," Wu explained. "That meant we had to do all the geological exploration, topographic survey, design and mining as well as build the 17,000m2 living area in less than two years."
"The project has made outstanding contributions to local economic development and set a model of Chinese standards and 'China speed' to serve the Belt and Road Initiative," said Liu Xiaoning, deputy general manger of Chengdu Design and Research Institute of Building materials Industry Co Ltd (Sinoma).
The build was not helped by the harsh local environment. The construction site was open to the elements and on the first day the team were lost in the desert. "But we did not give up. The next day we brought all the measuring instruments and laid the first coordinates," said Wu.
Despite the high temperatures the build was completed quickly and first clinker was made in December 2017. "The Egyptians are really impressed by our speed. Some Egyptians told me that we built the plant with hurricane speed," added Wu.
The Egyptian Armed Forces, the owners of the Al-Arish plant report that cement prices have fallen by 25 to 30 per cent since the project has been completed.
