Early works are underway at Egypt’s $640 million soda ash complex in New Alamein City, according to project data released by the Egyptian Petrochemicals Holding Company (ECHEM).

The project is being developed by Egyptian Soda Ash Company (ESAC), a subsidiary of ECHEM, on a 1.12 million square metre (sqm) site in the New Alamein industrial zone, with startup targeted for the fourth quarter of 2028.

ECHEM said the project has entered the execution phase following the signing of a financing term sheet and an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract, while key permits and regulatory approvals are being secured.

In August 2025, ESAC had signed an agreement in principle (AIP) with a consortium of lenders including Qatar National Bank (QNB), Commercial International Bank (CIB), Arab African International Bank (AAIB), National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), Banque du Caire (BDC), EBank (Export Development Bank of Egypt) and Bank NXT to secure $490 million in financing for the project.

Financial advisory roles are being undertaken by National Bank of Egypt and African Export-Import Bank.

The EPC contract has been awarded to China Tianchen Engineering Corporation (TTC), a subsidiary of China National Chemical Engineering Company (CNCEC).

In January 2026, CNCEC had signed a $34 million agreement with the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) to establish a 100,000 sqm manufacturing facility in the Sokhna Industrial Zone to supply steel structures, prefabricated piping and industrial equipment for soda ash plants.

Project scope

The complex is designed to produce nearly 600,000 tonnes per annum of soda ash and derivatives, including:

  • 210,000 tonnes per annum (KTA) of light soda ash
  • 320,000 tonnes per annum of dense soda ash
  • 50,000 tonnes per annum of sodium bicarbonate
  • 10,000 tonnes per annum of precipitated silica
  • 10,000 tonnes per annum of sodium percarbonate

Feedstock requirements include 950,000 tonnes per annum of limestone and 1.07 million tonnes per annum of salt.

The project is intended to reduce imports of soda ash and related chemicals, support domestic manufacturing and create export opportunities. Soda ash is a key raw material in the manufacture of glass, detergents, pharmaceuticals and food.

The New Alamein soda ash project forms part of Egypt’s broader  industrial expansion programme aimed at increasing self-sufficiency in basic chemicals and strengthening the country’s position as a regional manufacturing hub.

(Writing by Dennis Daniel; Editing by Anoop Menon) 

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)

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