Gapuma Life Chimie: A First Look at Egypt’s New Calcium Chloride Plant
19 October 2026
Earlier this month, senior figures from both sides of Gapuma Life Chimie met in Vienna in to review the joint venture’s progress. Jack Bardakjian, Chairman of Gapuma Holdings, was joined by Eng. Maged Shafik, Chairman of Life Chemicals Group; Mira Maged, a board member of Life Chemicals Group; and Tamer Zaidan, CEO of Gapuma Life Chimie.
The joint venture brings together Gapuma Holdings, a Gapuma Group company, and Life Chemicals Group of Egypt. Life Chemicals was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Cairo. It has become one of Egypt’s established independent suppliers and distributors of chemical raw materials, is a member of the European Petrochemical Association, and has recently opened a branch in Casablanca.
On site, the plant is steadily taking form. The production hall stands on a 10,000 sq m site, and process equipment is being installed. The facility is designed to produce 30,000 tonnes of calcium chloride a year, with scope to grow to 60,000 tonnes within 18 months. A soft launch is planned for the first quarter of 2027.
The Process
Calcium chloride is one of the most versatile products in industrial chemistry. It is used for de-icing and dust control, as an accelerant in concrete, in food processing and, importantly for Gapuma, in oil and gas, where calcium chloride brines are a staple of drilling and completion fluids. It is a natural fit with Gapuma’s growing oilfield business in West Africa, including its distribution of Clariant’s Well Service Additives in Nigeria, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. Egypt’s location also gives the plant ready access to markets across Africa, the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
The Shape of Things to Come
“This is a landmark moment for Gapuma,” said Jack Bardakjian. “For more than a quarter of a century we have moved commodities around the world. Now, for the first time, we will make one of the most important of them ourselves. That step rests on the trust and confidence that has grown between Gapuma and Life Chemicals – two companies with a shared vision, which is now coming to life on the ground in Egypt.”
Eng. Maged Shafik said: “A project of this kind needs more than capital and ambition. It needs the right partner. In Gapuma we found one with the experience, the market knowledge and the proven track record to take this plant off the page and turn it into bricks and mortar. What began as a plan on paper is now a tangible asset, and one we are proud to be building together.”
Emergence of Our Joint Vision: Construction of Suez Free Zone Plant
When it comes on stream next year, Gapuma Life Chimie will mark a significant step for the Group: from trading commodities to making them.
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