thyssenkrupp’s plant engineering business says it has won a major order from Egypt chemical and fertiliser manufacturer NCIC (El Nasr Company for Intermediate Chemicals).

The order for the engineering, procurement and construction of the fertiliser complex will see thyssenkrupp realise the project in a consortium with the Egyptian company PETROJET. thyssenkrupp said the order value is in the “mid-three-digit million euro range”.

Marcel Fasswald, CEO of thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions, said: “We have a particularly successful partnership with Egypt stretching back more than 160 years which offers great potential for the future. Our longstanding experience in plant construction, our strong local presence and close collaboration with our customers form the basis for our success and strong market position in the region.”

Ralf Richmann, CEO Fertilizer & Syngas Technologies, thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions, said: “To date, we have planned and built 16 of the 17 existing nitrogen fertiliser plants in the country and are delighted that another state-of-the-art plant will now be added.”

The new fertiliser complex will be built in Ain El Sokhna, around 100 km southeast of Cairo, close to the existing NCIC phosphatic and compound fertiliser complex. It is expected to go into operation in 2022 and produce up to 440,000 t of ammonia, 380,000 t of urea and 300,000 t of calcium ammonium nitrate every year.

The new plants are part of NCIC’s plans to expand its current product portfolio to include high-quality nitrogen fertiliser for the local and export markets. Nitrogen is a key nutrient for plant growth and of critical importance for industrial agriculture.