Local Specialty Chemicals Production at Obegi’s Plant in Egypt
The newly built chemical plant of Obegi for Chemical Industries and Polymers (OCIP) in Wadi El-Natroun enables the production in Egypt of inputs for the paints and coatings industry that were previously imported. This gives the industry a domestic source of supply. It reduces dependence on imports and strengthens industrial value creation in the country.
No established manufacturing process was available at the outset. Production and utility systems had to work together across the approximately 39,771 m² site. Routing pipework between tanks, reactors and separation stages was particularly demanding: it had to accommodate safe operation, construction and subsequent maintenance.
ECG developed and validated the process in a pilot reactor, then designed the plant across ten engineering disciplines. It specified equipment, coordinated concurrent design, procurement and construction, and supervised the works through commissioning.
Areas of Expertise
- Energy
- Industrial Engineering
- Industrial
Companies
ECG Engineering Consultants Group S.A.
Client
Obegi for Chemical Industries and Polymers (OCIP)
Duration
Since 2018
Location
Wadi El-Natroun, Al Behera, Egypt
Project Activities
Scope of ECG’s services:
- Development and validation of PVA and SA manufacturing processes using a pilot reactor
- Multidisciplinary design of the plant with six production reactors and more than twelve raw-material tanks
- Architectural, civil, structural, mechanical and equipment design
- Pipework design for safe material flows between tanks, reactors and separation stages; coordination with the process layout, structures, construction sequencing and maintenance
- Design of warehouses, utilities, wastewater treatment, power supply and internal roads
- Design of electrical, ventilation, instrumentation, control, communications and security systems
- Technical specification of process equipment and assessment of suppliers in Italy and India
- Coordination of overlapping design, procurement and construction phases and construction supervision
Impact
- Operational plant enabling Egypt’s first industrial-scale production of PVA and SA
- Reduced import reliance of the paints and coatings industry through a domestic source of inputs
- Additional speciality chemicals manufacturing capacity and stronger industrial value creation in Egypt
Contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals
We are committed to making a positive impact and supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This project contributes to the following SDGs:
Companies
