Noida based flexible packaging major UFlex’s aseptic liquid packaging business, Asepto is shifting from an India-led export model to a multi-location global manufacturing strategy, with its new $126-million plant in Egypt expected to become a key production hub for markets across Europe, Africa, the Gulf, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Americas.
The 30-acre greenfield facility at Ain Sokhna, located close to the Suez Canal, is currently undergoing customer trials and is expected to begin commercial production by the end of calendar 2026. Once operational, it will add 12 billion aseptic packs a year to Asepto’s capacity, taking its combined India and Egypt capacity to 24 billion packs annually.
“We have become a multi-location, global, strong global aseptic packaging powerhouse,” said Ashwani Kumar Sharma, President and CEO of UFlex’s liquid packaging business, during a media interaction at the facility.
Asepto currently has a 12-billion-pack annual capacity at its Sanand facility in Gujarat and exports around 35-40% of its Indian production. The business, which started in 2017, now serves more than 50 countries and has over 250 customers worldwide, Sharma said.
The Egypt (Ain Sokhna) facility, Sharma said, will complement the India operation rather than replace it, with manufacturing increasingly located closer to customers in key international markets.
Why Egypt
For Sharma, the primary attraction of Egypt is its combination of geography and trade access. “Egypt has a very strategic location, giving it a competitive edge over several other locations,” he said.
From Ain Sokhna, Asepto expects to serve GCC markets in roughly 2-10 days by road, while Europe can be reached in around 5-10 days and CIS markets in about 10 days. Africa can be served in approximately 5-30 days depending on the destination, while North and Latin America are around 30 days away, according to the Noida headquartered company.
The plant is also located around 10-15 km from the Sokhna port, giving Asepto access to the Suez Canal and international shipping routes.
Sharma added that the combination of geographical proximity and Egypt’s trade arrangements was a major factor behind the investment. “We also have a very meaningful trade advantage, tariff advantage,” he said.
Asepto, India's largest packaging company looking to go global, expects to leverage duty-free or preferential access to several markets, including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Europe, along with trade arrangements covering African markets. The company has also cited Egypt’s agreements with markets covered by arrangements such as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA), African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Agadir Agreement and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).
For Asepto, the rationale is therefore not simply about supplying the Egyptian market. It is about using Egypt as an export platform. “Today, our strategic shift has changed,” Sharma said. “We have become a multi-location, global, strong global aseptic packaging powerhouse.”
