Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly took part in the inauguration of SE Wiring Systems Egypt’s latest manufacturing facility in 10th of Ramadan City on Tuesday. The company is a subsidiary of Sumitomo Electric Wiring Systems (Europe), operating under the global conglomerate Sumitomo Group.
The newly launched plant is considered one of the largest automotive wiring harness production facilities worldwide. It features fully integrated departments equipped with state-of-the-art technologies and advanced production lines, as well as a dedicated training academy and a research and development center. Notably, the facility is environmentally friendly and powered in part by a comprehensive solar energy system.
Mohamed Hammam, Deputy Managing Director of Sumitomo Electric Egypt, presented an overview of the new plant, noting that the total project area spans 150,000 square meters. The current built-up area occupies approximately 23,000 square meters—about 15% of the total land area—comprising the first phase of development.
Hammam stated that the existing production hall covers 12,500 square meters, with 60% currently in operation and the remaining 40% allocated for future expansion. Full utilization of the facility is anticipated by 2027. At present, the factory employs 2,000 workers, with plans to increase the workforce to 3,000 by the end of 2025.
All operators, technicians, and engineers at the facility are local hires who have undergone certified training provided by the parent company. Their performance has demonstrated skill levels comparable to European factory standards.
“For the first time in Sumitomo Egypt’s history, all machinery installation and preparation work was carried out entirely by our local technical team,” Hammam emphasized. “This unprecedented challenge was successfully accomplished by the Egyptian team.” He further noted that the 10th of Ramadan factory currently operates 53 machines for various applications, with a production capacity of 10 million wires per month. This number is expected to rise to 130 machines, enabling a monthly output of 26 million wires.
Hammam added that the facility currently houses 170 wire cutting and preparation machines—making it the Sumitomo site with the highest number of such machines in Europe, and operating at peak efficiency.
He also highlighted an ambitious initiative to localize the production of wiring harness components. This effort is led by a permanent in-house team dedicated to innovation and reducing reliance on imports. All locally produced components have successfully passed rigorous testing and calibration, with many performing on par with—or even exceeding—the quality of parts imported from the European headquarters. As a result, several other companies in the sector are now seriously considering sourcing these components from Egyptian suppliers.
“We currently produce 1.8 million wiring harnesses per month in Egypt,” Hammam stated. “At the 10th of Ramadan facility alone, we manufacture 650,000 harnesses each month, with plans to increase to one million by year’s end.”
He also revealed that wiring harnesses for a specific car brand have been entirely produced in Egypt. Production for a locally assembled version of that brand will begin at the 6th of October factory in March 2025, with a maximum daily capacity of 270 harnesses.
Hammam went on to explain that the company has equipped all its Egyptian factories with integrated solar power systems to support clean energy use and reduce carbon emissions. This investment aligns with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and its climate commitments. The solar system, representing an investment of approximately €1 million, generates up to 3.2 megawatts of energy.
Founded in 2008, SE Wiring Systems Egypt S.A.E. operates under the Private Free Zones system. It specializes in manufacturing electrical wiring systems and cables for various vehicle types. With investments totaling around €160m, the company provides over 12,000 jobs across its facilities in 6th of October City, 10th of Ramadan, and Port Said.
SE Wiring Systems Egypt currently operates five factories in Port Said and two in 6th of October City. The company exports its entire production to countries such as the UK, France, Turkey, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, achieving annual exports exceeding €300m.