China's home appliance giant empowers local talent, fuels industrial growth in Egypt

Borneo Post

20 hours ago

Staff members work at the workshop of Haier Egypt Electric Appliances Co. Limited at Haier Egypt Ecological Park, in Sharqia Province, Egypt, June 16, 2025. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)
CAIRO (July 1): Tarek Baligh, a 27-year-old graduate in Chinese language, is now the operations manager at China's home appliance giant Haier's air conditioner factory in Egypt. He credits the company's immersive learning environment for his successful transition into a technical role in air conditioning manufacturing.
'After joining the company five years ago, my income and professional skills improved, and I gained experience in project implementation,' Baligh told Xinhua in fluent Chinese.
The factory sits within the 200,000-square-meter Haier Egypt Ecological Park, officially opened in May 2024 in the 10th of Ramadan City, located in Egypt's northeastern Sharqia Province. The complex serves as a testament to the company's profound influence on local talent development and the expansion of Egypt's industrial sector.
Baligh revealed that Chinese experts and teachers helped him understand the technology, and he learned little by little in each department.
'These accumulated experiences brought me significant gains,' Baligh said, recalling his mentor, Wu Changming, who patiently explained the intricacies of air conditioning components like evaporators and condensers, even drawing diagrams to aid his understanding.
Baligh then paid it forward, sharing his newfound knowledge with his Egyptian colleagues.
Haier's commitment to fairness and meritocracy is another aspect, Baligh said, noting that the company provides employees with a fair working platform. 'Whoever performs well can get promoted,' he said.
The man overseeing much of this ambitious expansion of Haier is engineer Ahmed Abdel-Rashid, the air conditioner factory manager at Haier Egypt Ecological Park, which is being developed in two phases.
He said the first phase, completed with remarkable speed, boasts four operational factories: a supporting industries factory, an air conditioner factory, a television factory, and a washing machine factory.
Abdel-Rashid, drawing on 20 years of experience in various companies, lauded the unique approach of Chinese firms.
'They pay great attention to human resources, building their capabilities, and training them under the guidance of groups of Chinese experts who focused on Chinese work patterns and styles, transferring expertise and skills to Egyptian cadres and workers and qualifying them,' he explained.
Abdel-Rashid said the complex currently employs 1,200 staff members, with plans to significantly expand the workforce to thousands of employees, including administrative staff, engineers, and technicians, once the complex is fully operational.
Haier's strategic vision extends beyond Egypt's borders, he said, pointing out that the company aims to serve the African continent and Middle Eastern markets.
Yang Linping, CEO of Haier Egypt Electric Appliances Co. Limited, said the Egyptian government's ambition to establish Egypt as a regional hub for home appliance manufacturing aligns with Haier's strategy.
'From March 2024 to June 2025, Haier air conditioners have already reached the top three in the market share in Egypt, with televisions and washing machines also showing rapid growth,' he revealed.
Yang stressed that this strong performance underpins projections for further local production, with refrigerators and kitchen appliances expected to be manufactured domestically in the third quarter of next year, expressing full confidence in Haier's ability to deliver solutions for Egyptian users.
Besides, 'The Chinese team has actively guided and trained their Egyptian counterparts on the latest technologies, a move set to bolster Egypt's home appliance industry significantly,' Yang told Xinhua. – Xinhua air conditioning China Egypt foreign workers Haier