In 2023, AVK secured a +USD20 million contract for the transmission line and pumping stations within the Future of Egypt initiative. The ambitious project spans over two to three years and has already required the overcoming of many challenges through close collaboration between AVK Gulf and AVK Anhui.
Launching Future of Egypt
In April 2017, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi gave directives on the immediate implementation of the Future of Egypt project with the aim of boosting the local agricultural production. The idea behind the project was as follows: if the country would be able to provide high quality agricultural products at reasonable prices for citizens, and export the surplus abroad, it would considerably enhance the local liveability as well as the country’s economic status.
The project would thereby reduce imports, provide hard currency, and support Egypt’s goals for sustainable development. Additionally, the project would provide thousands of employment opportunities in different specialisations, adding to the development efforts in the country.
The Future of Egypt project functions as a milestone in the New Delta project, which covers the construction of a 114 km long artificial river through the Egyptian desert. The new river will run parallel to the river Nile, which is currently supplying 90% of Egyptians with drinking water, water for irrigation and other industrial purposes. It will use Lake Nasser as its water source and is immensely critical in terms of Egypt’s future water supply; with an estimated 50% rise in population by 2050, the already sparse resources will simply not cover the needs.
The New Delta project covers an impressive area of 10,000 km2.
Presenting our capabilities
For us at AVK, the first hurdle to overcome was convincing the client, Water Department of the Armed Forces, and the consultant, Hydro, to modify their specifications and accept valves manufactured in China. The original project requirement favoured European-origin valves and castings, providing an edge to our competitors, and potentially excluding AVK from the bid. Undiscouraged, the AVK Gulf team worked closely with our production facilities in China, AVK Anhui, presenting the technical and production capabilities of AVK. They highlighted key product features that ensure minimal maintenance and an extended lifetime, further bolstering the proposal with a 10-year warranty.
Besides our capabilities, another critical factor in winning the project was having a trusted local partner like AVK’s agent in Egypt, ASL. They played a crucial role in organising meetings with key stakeholders, allowing our technical expertise to be presented to the right audience. These efforts proved successful, ultimately leading to AVK securing the major tender with AVK Anhui specified as the manufacturer of choice.
Largest valve order for AVK
AVK valves are a key component in agricultural practices that result in responsible water management, and we are proud of our contribution to such an ambitious project. The first contract, which has been followed by additional orders since, included:
- 84 pcs hydraulic combined check valves, DN2200
- 161 pcs electric butterfly valves, series 756, DN2200-2500
The first batch of orders, including 24 check valves and 34 butterfly valves, has already been released to AVK Anhui.
This project’s valve order is quite significant for AVK, as it is the largest order so far in the company’s history.
Expect solutions, not just products
AVK Anhui managed to live up to the high requirements for stainless steel welded seats and hydraulic actuation for the large-sized butterfly valves.
The first batch of products have been successfully tested and approved by the third-party inspector SGS and are currently in the shipping process. The next batch of 54 valves are expected to be shipped out in the first quarter of 2024.
The complete lot is expected to be manufactured and ready by June 2024 – a remarkable achievement for AVK, and yet again confirms the strength of our Group’s broad capabilities within product expertise, efficiency in production, and how we are able to work across companies towards a common goal.
