Egypt plans EGP 1B railway sleeper plant with 75% for export
The Egyptian Company for Construction and Maintenance of Transport Facilities and Airports plans to invest EGP 1 billion (about $19.2 million) in a new factory to produce railway ties, aiming to export 75% of its output to Africa, a company source told Al Manassa.
The project comes as Egypt accelerates efforts to localize transport manufacturing and curb foreign exchange drains, seeking to cushion the economy against ongoing macroeconomic pressure and hard-currency shortfalls.
The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the feasibility study targets African markets because existing domestic plants already satisfy current local demand for concrete ties. The state-affiliated firm intends to self-finance the project, with construction expected to take roughly one year once work begins.
Beyond exports, the new plant aims to secure supply contracts for Cairo Metro Line 6 and the second phase of Line 4.
On September 11, Transport Minister Kamel Al-Wazir directed the establishment of a new factory to produce railway ties, or sleepers, for the high-speed electric rail network, metros, and trams, as part of the transport industry localization plan.
Al-Wazir said that the ministry is working to localize these industries to curb imports and cover domestic demand through state-owned and private-sector factories.
The Egyptian Company for Construction and Maintenance previously established its first concrete tie factory in Maasara during 2022 and 2023 on a 40,000-square-meter site. Operating with an annual capacity of 550,000 to 600,000 ties, that facility was dedicated primarily to serving the high-speed rail network’s first line currently under construction.
Other railway sleeper manufacturing plants in Egypt include the Egyptian Pipe and Cement Products Company (Siegwart); a facility affiliated with the Holding Company for Roads, Bridges, and Land Transport; a production line owned by Concrete Plus, and private infrastructure firm EICW.
The source explained that tie manufacturing is directly linked to project volumes from railway and tunnel authorities, adding that the firm will consult with the Egyptian National Railways and the National Authority for Tunnels to gauge their expansion plans and set appropriate production capacities.
The Egyptian Company for Construction and Maintenance of Transport Facilities and Airports recorded revenues of 2.395 billion pounds ($46.1 million) during 2025, an increase of 72% over the previous year, which recorded revenues of about 1.390 billion pounds ($26.8 million). The company achieved net profits of 246 million pounds ($4.7 million) during the same year.
Founded in 2015 by the Ministry of Transport as a road maintenance entity, the state-owned firm has since expanded across broader infrastructure and transport sectors.