BRI Stories | Fiberglass manufacturing contributes to Egypt's economic development

This photo taken on June 26, 2023 shows fiberglass products of Jushi Egypt in Suez, Egypt. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

CAIRO, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- Egypt is rich in quartz stone, kaolin, limestone and other mineral resources, the important raw materials for the manufacture of fiberglass. However, these resources had not been fully utilized due to the lack of relevant technologies, equipment and professionals.

Since entering China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone in January 2012, Jushi Egypt has established the Egyptian fiberglass industry from scratch. At the stone storage yard at Jushi Egypt, hills of different stones there will turn into snow-white, steel-hard and paper-light fiberglass through the advanced manufacturing process brought by Jushi. At present, the company's fiberglass manufacturing base has an annual production capacity of 340,000 tonnes, making Egypt the largest fiberglass producer in Africa and the fourth largest producer in the world.

Staff members work on the fiberglass production line of Jushi Egypt in Suez, Egypt, June 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

This photo taken on June 26, 2023 shows an exterior view of a workshop of Jushi Egypt in Suez, Egypt. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

Ahmed Soliman (R), the deputy general manager of Jushi Egypt, talks with a staff member at a workshop of Jushi Egypt in Suez, Egypt, June 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

For more than ten years, many local employees have enjoyed career growth together with Jushi Egypt.

Ahmed Soliman, the deputy general manager of Jushi Egypt, told Xinhua when he recalled his journey to career success in the Chinese fiberglass giant.

Soliman's adventure began 11 years ago when, fresh out of university at the age of 23, he secured a position as a technician in the roving workshop at Jushi Egypt's factory in the country's northern Suez Governorate.

Back in 2012, fiberglass manufacturing was uncharted territory for the North African country. "For me and most Egyptians and even people in other Middle Eastern countries, fiberglass manufacturing is an entirely unfamiliar term," Soliman said.

After doing a quick research on the internet, Soliman realized that joining Jushi Egypt is "a great opportunity not easy to meet again," and did his best to get the job. "Today I can say I am proud to join this Chinese company," beamed the 34-year-old executive, one of the two most senior Egyptian employees at Jushi Egypt.

A staff member works on the fiberglass production line of Jushi Egypt in Suez, Egypt, June 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

A staff member works on the fiberglass production line of Jushi Egypt in Suez, Egypt, June 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

Dina Mahmoud (R), deputy manager of the planning and logistics department, works at the office of Jushi Egypt in Suez, Egypt, June 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

Dina Mahmoud, deputy manager of the planning and logistics department, is an experienced employee who has worked at Jushi Egypt for 10 years, and the only woman in the middle management. Recalling her hard work in the past decade, Dina was deeply touched by the achievements made by herself and the company.

"Through the years, the production output has been increasing. Since the first production line started in 2013, the monthly output has more than quadrupled which was a big challenge to all of us," Dina said.

Dina also found her true love at Jushi Egypt.

The first time I met my husband Abdallah was in Jushi. He was the deputy manager of the felting workshop. He helped me a lot during work and made me understand many technical details of the production process," said Dina, who could not hide her smile when speaking of her family.

Staff members work on the fiberglass production line of Jushi Egypt in Suez, Egypt, June 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

Dina Mahmoud, deputy manager of the planning and logistics department, poses for a photo with her husband Abdallah, deputy manager of the felting workshop, at Jushi Egypt in Suez, Egypt, June 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

As a subsidiary company controlled by China's Jushi Group, the world's largest fiberglass manufacturer, Jushi Egypt has created more than 2,000 jobs, generated over 40 million U.S. dollars in tax revenue, and brought in more than 1 billion dollars in foreign exchange income for Egypt. The company's success is a mutually beneficial outcome of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a global economic cooperation framework launched by China in 2013.

While contributing to Egypt's economic development, Jushi Egypt has become one of the leading enterprises in the Suez Canal Economic Zone and the largest Chinese investment project in the Egyptian manufacturing sector.

This photo taken on Sept. 7, 2022 shows an office building of the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone in Suez, Egypt. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

This aerial photo taken on Jan. 6, 2023 shows a view of Jushi Egypt in Suez, Egypt. (Jushi Egypt/Handout via Xinhua)

This photo taken on June 26, 2023 shows fiberglass products of Jushi Egypt in Suez, Egypt. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)