Sri Lanka’s Hirdaramani eyes Egypt as regional apparel export hub

Sri Lanka’s Hirdaramani Group, one of the world’s largest apparel manufacturers, plans to expand its operations in Egypt and use the country as a regional manufacturing and export hub, Egypt’s investment authority said on Thursday.

The expansion plans were discussed during a meeting between General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) CEO Mohamed Awad and Hirdaramani’s Director Siddarth Hirdaramani, as Egypt seeks to attract more export-oriented manufacturing investment and strengthen its position in global supply chains.

According to GAFI, the Sri Lankan company intends to leverage Egypt’s strategic location and network of trade agreements to supply international markets from production facilities in the country.

Hirdaramani operates more than 30 textile and apparel manufacturing facilities worldwide, employs over 55,000 people, and generates around $1.2 billion in annual revenue. The company produces between 12 million and 18.4 million garments each month for international brands.

Awad said attracting export-oriented manufacturers is a key pillar of Egypt’s strategy to increase exports, deepen local manufacturing, and establish the country as a regional production and export hub.

He added that Egypt is seeking greater integration into global supply chains, particularly in the textile and garment industry, by attracting value-added investments and strengthening domestic supplier networks.

Siddarth Hirdaramani said the company views Egypt as a strategic base for expanding production and exports, citing improvements in the country’s investment climate, competitive manufacturing environment and incentives for foreign investors.

The two sides agreed to continue discussions on potential investment opportunities to support the company’s planned expansion in Egypt.