Cairo: The Metallurgical Industries Holding (MIH) and British Petroleum (BP) have entered into a five-year agreement to restart operations at the Egyptian Anode Blocks Company. MIH and its affiliates under the Ministry of Public Enterprise own 75 percent of the company's shares.According to State Information Service Egypt, as part of the agreement, BP will invest $20 million in maintenance and achieving maximum production capacity. The company will also provide comprehensive technical support, deploying a team of specialists to oversee daily production processes and ensure adherence to occupational safety standards, enabling the production of high-quality products that meet market specifications.Located in the Ain Sokhna Free Zone, the anode block plant is expected to produce 250,000 tons annually after the installation of a second coke cooler, generating net revenue of $97 per ton of calcined petroleum coke. Additionally, the agreement guarantees a minimum output equivalent to calcining 200,000 tons annu ally.The partnership aims to revive the plant by funding essential maintenance and supervising the calcination process for petroleum coke while improving the utilization of production capacity. Minister of Public Business Sector Mohamed Shimi emphasized that the agreement focuses on revitalizing the anode company, which has been inactive for two years. He noted that resuming operations will significantly reduce the import bill for its final product, which is vital for industrial companies, particularly in the aluminum sector.