Editor’s note: African-Startups is a sister publication of EU-Startups, bringing trusted coverage of startups, venture capital, and innovation across Africa.
Egyptian CNC machinery manufacturer Simplex has inaugurated its second manufacturing facility in 10th of Ramadan City, a 40,000-square-metre plant built with a $50 million investment, while laying the foundation stone for a third factory on the same day.
The factory was inaugurated by Egypt’s Minister of Finance, Dr. Ahmed Kouchouk, along with investors, international partners, diplomats and senior government officials. During the inauguration event, the dignitaries toured the new facility, taking in its assembly divisions, production lines and technologies. The event also saw Simplex unveil a new CNC machine with the affixing of a “Proudly Made in Egypt” badge marking the start of production on the new line.
Alongside the expansion, Simplex signed new partnership and agency agreements in Jordan and Kuwait, part of a push to widen its footprint in Arab markets. The company currently exports 15% of its production internationally and plans to grow that share with the new deals.
“This celebration stands as a testament to what Egyptian youth can accomplish when given the opportunity and support. Simplex began as a graduation project and has evolved into an enterprise exporting to 34 countries, proving that Egyptian industrial innovation can compete on the global stage,” said Ahmed Shaaban, co-founder & CEO of Simplex.
Founded in 2013 by Shaaban and Mohamed Mansour, Simplex designs, assembles and manufactures Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines for industrial applications, serving customers in metalworking, woodworking, laser cutting and related sectors. The company now employs more than 400 engineers, technicians and administrative staff, and serves over 4,523 clients in Egypt and abroad, with total sales exceeding $100 million. Its products reach 34 countries across Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
Simplex says the new factory and its production line will double the company’s overall production capacity, speed up delivery to domestic and international clients, and cut manufacturing lead times while reducing reliance on external suppliers. The expansion is also projected to create more than 1,000 direct jobs and over 10,000 indirect jobs.
Mohamed Mansour, co-founder & Chief Commercial Officer of Simplex, added, “Our vision is to become a major player in the global CNC machinery manufacturing industry. This expansion marks a significant milestone toward that goal, empowering us to meet rising demand and strengthen our international presence.”
The inauguration of this second manufacturing unit follows a $13 million funding round that Simplex secured in January 2025, led by Saudi Arabia’s National Industrial Development Centre. The funding was meant to help finance a factory in Riyadh dedicated to producing advanced CNC machines on a 20,000-square-metre site.
Together, the Riyadh plant and the newly inaugurated Egyptian facility mark Simplex’s transition from a decades old homegrown CNC manufacturer into a multi-country industrial player, with a third factory now planned as part of the company’s continued expansion.
