Hengtong, one of China’s largest fiber optic cable manufacturers, recently announced plans to expand its factory in the China-Egypt TEDA zone.

Per multiple news reports, the company plans to invest $18 million to enable it to produce two million km of optic cables annually. The deal was created by an agreement with the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE), a government body that oversees such development.

The pact calls for Hengtong to add 21,000 sq m to its factory in the Sokhna Industrial Zone, which is part of SCZONE. The designated zone supports light, medium and heavy manufacturing activities as well as commercial and business activities over an area of 210 km.

The new output will supply cables to Egyptian national projects such as the Decent Life Initiative, as well as the state-owned telecommunication giant, Telecom Egypt. The first phase of Hengtong’s factory in the SCZONE opened in March 2023 with $6 million in investments.