PM — You’ve successfully made it through the first Ramadan workday

TL;DR

Expedition Investments submits non-binding acquisition offer for majority stake in Domty. (The Big Story Today)
How Egyptian sectors are feeling the impact of the chip shortage. (Inside Industry)
EV startups attracted plenty of investor interest — but need to actually start manufacturing. (For Your Commute)
Get your fill of traditional + experimentational Ramadan desserts. (Eat This Tonight)
Back to the Future vibes: The Adam Project. (On the Tube Tonight)
Lots of football to keep us occupied before and after iftar. (Sports)
Catch Walid Taher’s solo exhibition at TAM Gallery + group exhibition “Searching for Zerzura” at Bibliothek Egypt. (Out and About)

???? WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TONIGHT

Well, friends, we made it through the first workday of Ramadan. The country appears to be taking things slow as we ease into the holy month, meaning there hasn’t been an avalanche of big stories to speak of today.

A few Ramadan reminders before we get into the swing of things:

Shops are staying open for longer: Shops, malls, cafes and restaurants are now allowed to stay open until 2am, rather than 10pm, until the end of Eid. The decision was confirmed in the Official Gazette on Thursday.
Banks are now running on reduced Ramadan hours: Banks across the country are now only open between 9:30am and 1:30pm.
Shortened EGX trading hours: The trading day now runs 10am and 1:30pm.

SO, WHEN DO WE EAT? Maghrib prayers are at 6:16pm CLT this evening, and you have until 4:21am to eat / hydrate / caffeinate.

THE BIG STORY TODAY

A consortium led by little-known Expedition Investments has submitted a non-binding offer for a majority stake in food and dairy manufacturer Domty, the company announced in a disclosure (pdf) to the EGX. The consortium is looking to acquire up to 90% of Domty, preliminarily pricing its shares at EGP 5 apiece, according to a statement (pdf) from the Financial Regulatory Authority to the bourse. Domty’s shares rose 14.2% on the news to close at EGP 4.50.

** CATCH UP QUICK on the top stories from today’s EnterpriseAM:

Swvl rises on Nasdaq debut: Shares in Cairo-born mass transit app Swvl rose on their Nasdaq debut last week — hitting an intraday high of USD 10.30 after opening at USD 9.60 before paring gains to close at USD 10.00 — as the company concluded its SPAC merger with Queen’s Gambit Growth Capital.
EBRD trims Egypt’s growth outlook for 2022: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has downgraded Egypt’s 2022 growth outlook due to rising food and energy price inflation caused by the conflict in Ukraine. The lender expects the economy to grow at a 3.1% clip this year, down from the 5.0% it had penciled in last November.
Fintech app Khazna raises USD 38 mn in series A funding: Local fintech startup Khazna has raised USD 38 mn in equity and debt in a series A funding round led by US-based Quona Capital and includes previously announced funding from Nclude — the new USD 85 mn fintech fund launched by state-owned banks Banque Misr, the National Bank of Egypt, and Banque du Caire and managed by the UAE’s Global Ventures.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin are not ready for direct talks, Reuters quotes Russian chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky as saying on Telegram, as Russia’s position on the status of Crimea and Donbas — two Ukrainian regions where Russia has annexed territory — “remains unchanged.” Ukraine’s chief negotiator had earlier said that the two sides informally agreed to most of a draft peace proposal, which is now developed enough for the two leaders to discuss directly.

enterprise

*** It’s Inside Industry day — your weekly briefing of all things industrial in Egypt. Inside Industry focuses each Sunday on what it takes to turn Egypt into a manufacturing and export powerhouse, ranging from initial investment and planning to product distribution, through to land allocation to industrial processes, supply chain management, labor, automation and technology, inputs and exports, regulation and policy.

In today’s issue: Egyptian manufacturers are far from immune from the global semiconductor shortage, which has roiled industries around the world and highlighted the risk exposure of having only a small selection of chip manufacturers to rely on. We spoke to manufacturers across a variety of industries to get a feel for how the semiconductor shortage has affected their production output and revenues.

???? CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

It’s PMI week: Purchasing managers’ index figures for March for Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar will be released on Tuesday, 5 April. By that specific gauge, Egypt’s private sector has been in contraction since November 2020. Headwinds intensifying last month due to the conflict in Ukraine are unlikely to have changed that.

Foreign reserves: March’s foreign reserves figures will be announced some time this week.

ALSO- Inflation figures for March are expected on Sunday, 10 April, one week from today.

Companies have a little over two weeks to file their first quarterly ESG compliance report: Listed firms and non-bank financial services companies need to submit their first quarterly ESG report by 20 April, the FRA announced last week. The regulator is making it mandatory for corporates to publicly disclose their performance on key environmental, social and governance (ESG) metrics each year when they submit their annual financial statements, starting 2023. Reach out to Moustafa Taalab at InkankIR, our parent company, if you need some help.

Check out our full calendar on the web for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events, national holidays and news triggers.

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- Expect a daytime high of 35°C and a nighttime low of 20°C tomorrow before the mercury makes its way to the 40s range in the coming days, according to our favorite weather app.

We know mood isn’t just one thing. But it’s everything. Set the mood this Ramadan, and every occasion, with our new seasonal selection range, or mix and match from our products to create your own gift box for your loved ones. Visit abuauf.com and set the mood today … and everyday.

???? FOR YOUR COMMUTE

EV startups need to prove they were worth the risk — and actually manufacturing vehicles is probably a good starting point: The green transition that has gathered steam over the past few years, with the global consensus being that the future of on-land transport will be EVs, leading to investors piling in on the industry early on. With all this interest, wannabe EV manufacturers found themselves being the most popular bunch in the party — without ever having manufactured an actual car or making any revenue, writes the Financial Times. At least 18 automakers have listed in the past two years via SPAC while startup Rivian has successfully completed a USD 11.9 bn IPO, with these companies soaring above oldschool carmakers in valuation. However, the next 12 months are crucial to prove that EV makers were worth the heaping investments poured into them.

Investors are looking for the next Tesla, but don’t want the years of headache that came with it: While Tesla has proved that EV manufacturing can be a lucrative business, it took Elon Musk a decade to get it right. Investors are hoping that these new EV makers could emulate Tesla’s success, but they’re not willing to wait that long for results. The impatience also means that the euphoria is already beginning to wane, as mass production of EVs is not as easy as previously thought, particularly in light of the commodities and supply chain rises, which pushed EV makers to push up prices on vehicles that haven’t been introduced yet while slashing production targets for the year.

Partnerships — and even more investments — may be key to survival: Many EV startups thought the plan of action would entail building their own factory — a target they now can’t seem to complete without needing even more money. Faced with rising costs and pressure from investors, wannabe EV makers are seeking help from the old school auto giants, mainly through partnerships. Nonetheless, with others deciding to take on the journey solo, investors are crossing their fingers and hoping they chose correctly.

???? ENTERPRISE RECOMMENDS

???? ON THE TUBE TONIGHT-

(all times CLT)

If you’re a fan of Back to The Future (or have 13 Going on 30 nostalgia), The Adam Project is definitely for you: The big-hearted, family-friendly sci-fi movie — starring Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo, and Jennifer Garner — follows time-traveling fighter pilot Adam Reed in 2050, who accidentally crash-lands in 2022 instead of 2018, where he was originally aiming to land on a rescue mission. The accidental landing by Reed four years earlier pushes him to team up with his 12-year-old self, who is battling the loss of his father Louis, to save the future.

⚽ More football to keep us occupied pre-iftar and post-iftar: Al Ahly looks to seal its qualification for the African Champions League quarter final in its clash with Sudan’s Al-Hilal at 10pm tonight. Raja Casablanca will also play against ES Sétif at 11pm.

In the CAF Confederation Cup, Pyramids will play against Zanaco at 10pm after securing qualification to the quarter finals. Now on the field: Al Masry is playing against DR Congo’s TP Mazembe, hoping to finish at the top of its group despite qualifying earlier.

Moving to the UK, West Ham United is currently playing against Everton, while Tottenham Hotspur will clash against Newcastle United at 5:30pm.

We have five games in La Liga today, as we await the final whistle for the game between Athletic Club and Elche. Later in the afternoon, Real Betis will play against Osasuna at 4:15pm, with two games: Granada v Rayo Vallecano and Valencia v Cadiz at 6:30pm. Tonight, Barcelona will play against Sevilla at 9pm.

Serie A has five games, too, with Fiorentina v Empoli wrapping up just before we hit “send” today, with Fiorentina coming out on top with 1-0. Atalanta v Napoli and Udinese v Cagliari are also currently on the field as we dispatch. Tonight, all eyes will be on Sampdoria v Roma at 6pm, and Juventus v Inter at 8:45pm.

???? EAT THIS TONIGHT-

It’s Ramadan and you know what that means: The month of desserts. Every year, we know to expect “new creations,” giving us new-age twists on classic dishes (even though we feel that a basic basbousa or konafa takes the crown). Voilà caters to both the traditionalists and the experimentalist foodies, with classic Om Ali, basbousa, aish saraya, and konafa, along with innovative twists such as a pina colada Turkish basbousa, or the pistachio baklava rolls. Their latest creation that had us salivating: Vanilla and crème brûlée konafa with fruits and fresh cream. This delicacy hit every note: The crunch of the konafa, with the freshness of the fruits, and cream and the sweetness of the crème brûlée.

???? OUT AND ABOUT-

(all times CLT)

Solo exhibition Fades Away by artist Walid Taher continues to welcome visitors at 7pm at TAM Gallery. The exhibition sees Taher exploring verses of poetry by poet Wadie Saadeh, where he tries to unite music and lyrics through bold colors to “create an emotional symphony of art, words and meaning.”

Bibliothek Egypt is hosting a group exhibition “Searching for Zerzura,” which is the first between Bibliothek and Fayoum Art Center. The exhibition, which runs today from 2pm to 10pm, features work made by 24 artists in four different workshops organized by the Fayoum Art Center.

???? UNDER THE LAMPLIGHT-

The story of a family: French Braid by Anne Tyler is a book that digs deep into the life of the Garretts family over six decades, with the tenderness and hardships within different generations of family life. The novel is divided into seven sections, with each individual offering.a third-person narrative from their point of view, extending from the parents to grandchildren. Each section offers a decade of the family’s life in a novel that is full of heartbreak and kindness.

This publication is proudly sponsored by

???? GO WITH THE FLOW

How the global chip shortage is hitting Egyptian manufacturers that are reliant on semiconductors: The global semiconductor shortage has wreaked havoc on multiple industries and highlighted the pitfalls of depending on a handful of chip manufacturers, mainly in Far East Asia. Companies worldwide have attributed a drop in production, supply chain disruptions, and losses in revenues to the shortage — and Egyptian firms are no exception. Enterprise spoke to companies in several sectors on how the impact has resonated here at home and what is being done locally to survive the global turmoil.

Chip prices have gone up since the crisis — and the near-term outlook doesn’t seem brighter: Chip prices increased around 50% y-o-y in 2021, our sources tell us. This might go up even higher, with chatter that chip prices will increase an additional 10-15% in the next period as the raw materials needed to manufacture ships are also in short supply, Pearl Semiconductors Vice President of Marketing & Business Development Mostafa El Khouly told Enterprise.

Which has hit production…: For Elsewedy Electric, semiconductors are necessary for its meters business, which produces gas, water, and energy meters for the Egyptian market as well as for export markets such as Europe and Africa. Elsewedy began to feel the impact of the chip shortage in 2021, Investor Relations Director Noha Agaiby told Enterprise. In 2020, Elsewedy sold 5.4 mn meters, which brought in revenues of EGP 3.3 bn. In 2021, the company was only able to produce and sell 3.6 bn meters for EGP 3.1 bn, with a higher retail price partially offsetting the loss in revenues, she added.

…And led to delivery delays: For Elsewedy, the chips supply gap is in the range of thousands, leading to delays in deliveries, with the current backlog for meter orders adding up to EUR 159 mn, Agaiby said. The shortage has also led to certain machines and electronics not being available, with delay times up to 54 weeks, Si-Ware Systems’ director of production, Mohamed El Arabawy, told Enterprise. Si-Ware Systems produces handheld NeoSpectra Scanners which enable accurate lab-grade material analysis, but the shortage of components has lowered their production capacity in the past year.

Cost structures have had to adapt, sometimes hitting sales: Depending on the margins of products, sometimes the end user carries the increased costs, which can lead to them opting out of adopting the new technologies, Abdelrahman Sameh, whose employer specializes in AI security and safety solutions for the military and public and private sectors. The cost increases across electronic devices and semiconductors is a “killer,” El Arabawy said. “In some cases, you have to carry the increased costs or risk going out of business,” he explained.

This impact on sales was felt acutely by our friends in the automotive industry: The automotive sector was highly impacted by the chip shortage last year, with Abou Ghaly Motors falling 40% from their target of sales for 2021, Group COO Tamer Kotb told Enterprise. While the situation has eased since then, with a 25-30% improvement in chip availability this year, the sector is still feeling the burn, Kotb said. Chip prices have continued to increase and the cost of semiconductors has raised car prices by USD 250-300, he added.

Solar companies are also feeling the hit: Semiconductors are used to create solar cells which make up solar panels. For local manufacturing solar company SUNPRISM, the chip shortage led to a 12% increase in the price of cells in 2021, while the entire panel’s cost increased around 20-25% due to additional factors such as rises in commodities and shipping costs, Chairman and CEO Mohammad Makhlouf told us. SUNPRISM is now considering liquidating its solar panel assembly factory due to an inability to continue production. “Local solar panel manufacturing is no longer viable without a governmental strategy to support the industry,” Makhlouf explained.

Planning in advance has been key for survival: To mitigate the chip shortage, manufacturers are planning ahead more than they used to. Abou Ghaly now studies the real market demand to ensure accurate order volumes, then sends out orders in advance so suppliers have ample time to set up their production cycle, Kotb said. The situation is more complicated for Pearl Semiconductors, as there are limited slots in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) for them to reserve to send their prototypes to be manufactured for testing. Whereas before they could reserve a slot a month prior, they now have to wait up to six months and also pay in advance to ensure their slot doesn’t get canceled, El Khouly explained. This has led to their development cycle being prolonged — and any problems during the process can lead to months of delay.

And redesigning electronics has also been a solution: At Si-Ware Systems, the production team now stockpiles enough components to last for a year ahead to avoid delays, but has sometimes had to redesign their products to avoid using unavailable components, El Arabawy told us. This entails undertaking a new development and testing cycle and requesting reissued certifications — a process that often takes months, he added.

The outlook on when the shortage will be resolved is varied: The most optimistic of expectations sees the chip shortage easing sometime this year, courtesy of Kotb. Meanwhile, Agaiby and El Khouly’s timeline sees the problem persisting until 2023. The rest of our sources, however, see the chip shortage lasting 2-3 more years. “The chip shortage will last at least two more years until more semiconductor manufacturing facilities enter the global market and we’re expecting electronics prices to rise in the meantime,” Sameh said. The Russia-Ukraine war could extend the shortage even longer, our sources agreed, echoing reports in the global business press.

Your top industrial development stories for the week:

The Trade Ministry has banned the export of salvaged and scrap metals for six months in a bid to help manufacturers struggling with price hikes and shortages of raw materials.
Scatec inks Ain Sokhna green hydrogen pact with SFE and OC: Norway’s Scatec, Nassef Sawiris-backed ammonia producer Fertiglobe and Orascom Construction signed an agreement on Thursday to establish and operate their planned 100 MW green hydrogen plant in Ain Sokhna.
Fast-tracked registration procedures for exporters to Egypt: The Trade Ministry has announced changes to streamline its import registration procedures in a bid to make it easier for overseas companies to export goods to Egypt.
WHO accreditation to make it easier to export our vaccines: The Egyptian Medicines Authority has received accreditation from the World Health Organization for its locally-made vaccines.

???? CALENDAR

1H2022: Target date for IDH to close its acquisition of 50% of Islamabad Diagnostic Center.

1H2022: e-Finance’s digital healthcare service platform, eHealth, will launch its services.

1H2022: The government will respond to private companies’ bids to build desalination plants.

1H2022: Egypt’s second corporate green bond issuance expected to be announced.

15 February-15 June (Tuesday-Wednesday): ITIDA’s Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center is organizing the first Metaverse Hackathon.

14 March-30 June: The “Escape to Egypt” exhibition at the Coptic Museum, in celebration of its 112th anniversary.

April: Fuel pricing committee meets to decide quarterly fuel prices.

April: Ghazl El Mahalla shares will begin trading on the EGX.

3 April (Sunday): Bidding begins on the Industrial Development Authority’s license to manufacture tobacco products.

4 April (Monday): CDC Group will formally change its name to British International Investment.

11 April (Monday): The deadline to submit bids for Chelsea FC.

14 April (Thursday): European Central Bank monetary policy meeting.

20 April (Wednesday): Deadline for listed companies and NBFIs to submit quarterly ESG reports.

Mid-April: Trading on the Egyptian Commodity Exchange to start.

21 April (Thursday): EGX-listed Taaleem will hold an extraordinary general assembly to discuss the mechanism to build and own nonprofit and private universities.

22-24 April (Friday-Sunday): World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings, Washington D.C.

24 April (Sunday): Coptic Easter Sunday (holiday for Coptic Christians).

25 April (Monday): Sham El Nessim.

25 April (Monday): Sinai Liberation Day.

28 April (Thursday): National Holiday in observance of Sham El Nessim.

30 April (Saturday): Deadline for submitting corporate tax returns for companies whose financial year ends 31 December.

30 April (Saturday): Deadline to apply to the Tatweer Misr Innovation Competition.

Late April – 15 May: 1Q2022 earnings season

May: Investment in Logistics Conference, Cairo, Egypt.

1 May (Sunday): Labor Day.

1 May (Sunday): Suez Canal Authority raises tolls for different vessels.

3-4 May (Tuesday-Wednesday): Federal Reserve interest rate meeting.

4 May (Wednesday): 3 February (Thursday): Deadline to send in applications for Cultural Property Agreement Implementation projects to the US Embassy in Cairo.

5 May (Thursday): National Holiday in observance of Labor Day.

2 May (Monday): Eid El Fitr (TBC).

19 May (Thursday): Central Bank of Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

5-7 June (Sunday-Tuesday): Africa Health ExCon, Al Manara International Conference Center, Egypt International Exhibitions Center, and the St. Regis Almasa Hotel, New Administrative Capital.

9 June (Thursday): European Central Bank monetary policy meeting.

14-15 June (Tuesday-Wednesday): Federal Reserve interest rate meeting.

15-18 June (Wednesday-Saturday): St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), St. Petersburg.

16 June (Thursday): End of 2021-2022 academic year for public schools.

23 June (Thursday): Central Bank of Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

27 June-3 July (Monday-Sunday): World University Squash Championships, New Giza.

30 June (Thursday): June 30 Revolution Day, national holiday.

End of 2Q2022: The Financial Regulatory Authority’s new Ins. Act should be approved.

End of 1H2022: Emirati industrial company M Glory Holding and the Military Production Ministry will begin the mass production of dual fuel pickup trucks that can run on natural gas.

2H2022: The inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum.

2H2022: IEF-IGU Ministerial Gas Forum, Egypt. Date + location TBA.

2H2022: The government will have vaccinated 70% of the population.

3Q2022: Ayady’s consumer financing arm, The Egyptian Company for Consumer Finance Services, to release first financing product.

July: A law governing ins. for seasonal contractors will come into effect.

July: Fuel pricing committee meets to decide quarterly fuel prices.

Early July: Polish President to visit Egypt.

1 July (Friday): FY 2022-2023 begins.

8 July (Friday): Arafat Day.

9-13 July (Saturday-Wednesday): Eid Al Adha, national holiday.

21 July (Thursday): European Central Bank monetary policy meeting.

26-27 July (Tuesday-Wednesday): Federal Reserve interest rate meeting.

30 July (Saturday): Islamic New Year.

Late July – 14 August: 2Q2022 earnings season.

August: Work to extend the capacity of the Egypt-Sudan electricity interconnection to 300 MW to be completed.

18 August (Thursday): Central Bank of Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

September: Egypt will display its first naval exhibition with the title Naval Power.

September: Central Bank of Egypt’s Innovation and Financial Technology Center to launch incubator for 25 fintech startups.

8 September (Thursday): European Central Bank monetary policy meeting.

20-21 September (Tuesday-Wednesday): Federal Reserve Finterest rate meeting.

22 September (Thursday): Central Bank of Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

October: World Bank and IMF annual meetings in Washington, DC

October: Fuel pricing committee meets to decide quarterly fuel prices.

6 October (Thursday): Armed Forces Day, national holiday.

8 October (Saturday): Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, national holiday.

18-20 October(Tuesday-Thursday): Mediterranean Offshore Conference, Alexandria, Egypt.

27 October (Thursday): European Central Bank monetary policy meeting.

Late October – 14 November: 3Q2022 earnings season.

November: Cairo Water Week 2022.

1-2 November (Tuesday-Wednesday): Federal Reserve interest rate meeting.

3 November (Thursday): Central Bank of Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

4-6 November: The Autotech auto exhibition kicks off at the Cairo International Exhibition and Convention Center.

7-18 November (Monday-Friday): Egypt will host COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh.

21 November-18 December (Monday-Sunday): 2022 Fifa World Cup, Qatar.

13-14 December (Tuesday-Wednesday): Federal Reserve interest rate meeting.

15 December (Thursday): European Central Bank monetary policy meeting.

22 December (Thursday): Central Bank of Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

End of 2022: e-Aswaaq’s tourism platform will complete the roll out of its ticketing and online booking portal across Egypt.

January 2023: EGX-listed companies and non-bank lenders will submit ESG reports for the first time.

January: Fuel pricing committee meets to decide quarterly fuel prices.

**Note to readers: Some national holidays may appear twice above. Since 2020, Egypt has observed most mid-week holidays on Thursdays regardless of the day on which they fall and may also move those days to Sundays. We distinguish above between the actual holiday and its observance.