Paper recycling boost in Egypt

Egypt – The International Finance Corporation (IFC) – part of the World Bank – is investing to complete the construction of El Motaheda SAE’s new paper mill near Cairo, the capital of Egypt.

‘IFC will invest up to US$ 10 million in equity and provide a loan of up to US$ 15.5 million toward completing the paper plant, which will be located 60 kilometres outside Cairo in the Sadat City industrial zone,’ the organisation explains. ‘The plant is expected to use recycled fibre from local waste paper as the main raw material to produce duplex board, which is used to package many products.

The mill will create an estimated 300 direct manufacturing jobs and 550 indirect jobs through the collection and transport of waste paper.’ The availability of high-quality, locally-produced duplex will help replace imports and benefit domestic and regional consumer goods companies, as well as local consumers and the economy, through a reduction in costs. ‘Our goal is to transform Egypt into a regional hub for the packaging industry, becoming the primary provider of high-quality packaging materials for multi-nationals and exporters alike,’ says Ibrahim El Moallem, Chairman of El Motaheda’s parent company Modern Shorouk for Printing and Packaging (MSPP) and a key shareholder in the National Printing Company – one of the largest converting and printing houses for consumer packaging in Egypt. Through its two key subsidiaries, MSPP and El Baddar for Packages, its operations include book printing as well as the production of folded board boxes, corrugated boxes and sheets, laminated packaging, and paper cups and bags.

Egypt produces an estimated 12 000 tonnes of waste paper every day but imports recovered paper and pulp for its production industry.

www.ifc.org