Saint-Gobain has decided to expand its presence in the Middle East with the construction of a float glass production line in Egypt. The facility is to be operated in a joint-venture established with MMID (El Mansour and El Maghraby Investment and Development Company), a major Egyptian group with activities including real estate and industry. The float line will be built in Ain El Sokhna, located east of Cairo, along the Red Sea coast. Output from the new facility will be sold on the Egyptian market and also exported to the Middle East and Africa. The overall investment will be approximately EUR 120M. Construction is due to start in 2008 & production in 2009. Saint-Gobain says the operation constitutes a further step in the group's growth strategy in emerging countries, where its Flat Glass Sector now generates some 35% of its turnover.
