Top 10 Oldest Companies In Egypt

In this article, you will find some of the oldest companies in Egypt. Among them, there is one that was founded by a Greek businessman in 1919.

1. Egyptian National Railways
   The company has operated since 1854. Of course, the country’s national railroad was created after some initial efforts to connect Suez and Cairo to form a better connection between Europe and India. Steadily, during the years were added new lines at the railway.

2. The Egyptian Gazette
   As you can imagine, The Egyptian Gazette is a daily newspaper printed in English that has been published continuously since its establishment on January 26, 1880. Thus, it is the oldest of its kind in the Middle East. The headquarters are in Cairo. The initial founders were five people from Britain. The newspaper had four pages, and it was published on a weekly basis. Nowadays, ownership belongs to El Tahrir Printing and Publishing House.

3. Telecom Egypt
   It started its operations in 1854. The primary services offered were telegraph lines for the residents of Cairo and Alexandria. Some years later, more specifically in 1881, operated the first telephone line between the above cities. The company steadily expanded its activities, and in 2017 it launched a new product named WE. It has to do with the mobile services that it offers. Another milestone for Telecom Egypt was in 2019 when it signed a deal with Nokia concerning 5G in Egypt.

4. Corona
   If you like sweets, you may be interested in reading the history of this company. It was founded in 1919 in Ismailia by a Greek businessman, Tommy Christo. Nowadays, the headquarters are on Canal Mahmudiyah. Following the company’s nationalization in 1963, Nadler Confectionery, Corona, and Al-Hawamdiya Factory were merged into one company with the name Alexandria Chocolate and Confectionery Co. (Corona). However, in 2000, Sami Saad Group acquired the company. The company still now operates under the ownership of the Sami Saad Group. The characteristic logo of the company is a gazelle.

5. Banque Misr
   The bank started its operation on April 13, 1920. The initial founders were Joseph Cattaui and Talaat Harb. Still, in 1960 and after a difficult situation that led to failure, the bank returned to its proper operation and then was nationalized. The headquarters are in Cairo. Lastly, the bank has a presence in 590 locations.

6. Orascom Construction
   The company’s activities expand in construction and engineering. The company was founded in 1950, and its headquarters are in Cairo. Nowadays, the company has a presence in more than 25 countries. The founder of Orascom Construction was Onsi Sawiris. The first cement plants, except for Egypt, were formed in Turkey, Pakistan, North Korea, and Spain. The company also expanded in the US while starting a partnership to create the largest wind farm in Egypt.

7. Arab Contractors
   The company was founded in 1955 and belongs to the construction industry. An Egyptian entrepreneur had the vision to create such a company. The Arab Contractors went through the phase of nationalization in 1961, and since 1970, they have enriched their portfolio with many more activities from different industries.

8. Bank of Alexandria
   The bank counts 210 branches across Egypt. As you can imagine, it plays a major role in the country’s financial development. The bank was founded in 1957 by the Egyptian government, and after a series of acquisitions, we reached the year 2006 when the Egyptian government decided to privatize the Bank of Alexandria. The Italian bank Sanpaolo IMI took over 80% of the Bank of Alexandria.

9. Abu Qir Fertilizers Company
   It belongs to the fertilizer and raw materials industry. The company started its operations in 1976 and is one of the largest in Egypt. The headquarters are in Abu Qir, a region very close to Alexandria. In terms of production rates and variety of products, the company is considered a pioneer in producing and marketing nitrogenous, mixed, and liquid fertilizers in the Arab Republic of Egypt and even on the African continent. Today, the ammonia plant produces 1230 tons per day, while the production of the plastics plant reaches 40 million bags per year.

10. Arab American Vehicles
    The company started operating in 1977 and manufactures a large range of vehicles. Chrysler Group obtained a large percentage of the company in 1987. Thus, Arab American Vehicles produce two of the best-known Jeep models from Chrysler.

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