Unilever Egypt has inaugurated a new Sunsilk production line at its Mashreq Personal Care (MPC) Factory in 6th of October City, increasing the site’s annual production capacity by 20% to serve export markets.
The expansion, which coincides with the factory’s 20th year of operations in Egypt, will be fully dedicated to exporting products regionally and internationally. The new line utilises advanced liquid bottling technology with precise mass and volume control to maintain product specifications at scale.
The inauguration was attended by Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Mohamed Farid, Minister of Industry Khaled Hashem, and Giza Governor Ahmed El Ansary. Unilever executives present included Cem Tarık Yüksel, CEO for North Africa, Levant, and Iraq; Sameh Sabry, director of supply chain for the same region; and Suzanne Hassanein, head of corporate affairs for North Africa, Levant, and Iraq.
“Unilever’s decision to invest in the expansion of its production in Egypt for export demonstrates the role our manufacturing sector can play in supplying international markets and bringing in foreign investments,” Farid said. “Our priority is to make it easier for companies to invest, expand and trade from Egypt, and to help them turn the market access available through our trade agreements into greater export sales.”
Hashem stated that expansions by established manufacturers represent an important source of industrial growth that feeds directly into the government’s local production mandate.
“This new production line brings additional capacity and advanced manufacturing technology, alongside opportunities for Egyptian workers to develop their expertise and skills,” Hashem said, adding that the ministry looks forward to further cooperation to help companies meet the requirements of international manufacturers.
El Ansary noted that the expansion supports the investment environment, creates employment opportunities, and strengthens Giza’s position as an industrial destination. He affirmed the governorate’s commitment to cooperating with relevant ministries to remove obstacles facing investors.
Unilever Mashreq was established in Egypt in 2001. The company currently operates three factories in the country—two in 6th of October City and one in Borg El Arab, Alexandria—employing more than 900 people. Egypt serves as Unilever’s regional headquarters for a market covering more than 300m consumers across North Africa, the Levant, and Iraq.
The MPC Factory spans a 22,000-square-metre site, including 13,000 square metres of built area. It manufactures Personal Care, Beauty, and Home Care categories, with a portfolio including Sunsilk, Dove, LUX, Lifebuoy, Signal, Closeup, Clear, TRESemmé, Camay, Glow & Lovely, and Comfort.
Over the past two decades, production at MPC has quadrupled. The facility currently allocates approximately 65% of its production capacity to export markets, supplying more than 30 countries. Across its broader Egyptian operations, Unilever exports more than half of its total production to over 35 countries across four continents.
The factory sources around 80% of its manufacturing materials locally. Its operations integrate sustainability measures, including reusable packaging within the supply chain, wastewater treatment technology, and the use of fully recyclable plastic packaging for all manufactured products.
“Egypt has become an important manufacturing and export base for Unilever, and the addition of this new Sunsilk line marks another important step in expanding our production capabilities here,” Yüksel said. “This investment enables us to manufacture more in Egypt and serve a growing number of export markets from our local operations, while bringing new technology and transferring manufacturing know-how to our Egyptian teams.”
Yüksel added that the company will continue investing in capabilities that allow Egypt to play an increasingly important role within Unilever’s global supply network. The new line aligns with previously announced plans by the company to expand local production capacity and transfer additional manufacturing operations to Egypt.
