The Arab Contractors
The Arab Contractors (المقاولون العرب) is a Cairo-headquartered private construction conglomerate founded in 1955, operating across 30 countries with 57,000+ employees, ranked 93rd globally by ENR, serving government ministries and enterprises in infrastructure, shipbuilding, and marine construction.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1955
- HeadquartersCairo, Egypt
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Arab Contractors does
The Arab Contractors (المقاولون العرب), legally Osman Ahmed Osman & Partners, is one of the largest privately held construction conglomerates in the Middle East and Africa. Founded in 1955 by Engineer Osman Ahmed Osman and headquartered at 34 Adly Street, Cairo, Egypt, the company operates across 30 countries with a workforce of 57,000+ employees and has completed approximately 8,000 projects since inception. It is ranked 93rd globally by Engineering News-Record (ENR), received 90+ industry awards, and reported a 2025 size of work of 48 billion Egyptian Pounds. The firm is organized around 14 specialized in-house departments — including bridges, foundations, marine construction, formworks, ready-mix concrete, electromechanical works, manufacturing, laboratories, and IT networks — and serves 16 infrastructure sectors spanning public buildings, housing, transportation (metros, monorails, high-speed rail, roads, bridges, tunnels, airports, ports), water and sewage, monuments restoration, shipbuilding, power stations, real estate, agriculture, industry, and petroleum.
The business model rests on competitive government tenders and direct enterprise negotiations, producing three principal revenue streams: (1) infrastructure construction contracts won through tenders and consortium partnerships with international firms such as Siemens Mobility and Orascom Construction; (2) shipbuilding and maritime construction, notably Lloyd's Register-approved floating hotels built at the Massara Shipyard — the only facility in Cairo capable of producing such vessels — for international tourism clients led by Viking Cruises; and (3) heavy equipment and steel sheet pile rental through the equipment rental division. Customer concentration is heavily weighted toward government ministries (Egyptian transport, housing, and armed forces; foreign ministries in Tanzania, Uganda, Chad, Lebanon, Yemen, Nigeria, Ghana, Libya), with select private-sector exposure in tourism. Pricing is project-based with no public tiering, contracts are multi-year, and execution is supported by a 10,000+ unit equipment fleet, vertically integrated plants, and the ICEMT training institute.
The company's strategic positioning combines consortium-led mega-project execution with vertically integrated capabilities. The flagship is the Egypt high-speed electric railway partnership with Siemens Mobility and Orascom Construction, where The Arab Contractors manages track, signaling, electrification, and control systems, supported by a 578-acre October Gardens maintenance hub with 133.3 km of track already installed. Notable flagship projects include the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam (Tanzania), Cairo Metro Line 3, Rod El-Farag Axis ("Tahya Misr" Bridge), Port Said Tunnels (3 July Tunnels), the Drove Axis in Aswan, and the Saka Road and Bridge in Uganda. The Massara Shipyard produces floating hotels under Lloyd's Register supervision — including Viking Osiris (launched 2022), Viking Aton (2023), and Viking Hathor — and signed a contract for four additional Viking vessels in August 2023. Strategic differentiators include the in-house capital base, 70-year brand equity, top-100 ENR global ranking, and self-financed workforce development pipeline through ICEMT (established 1978, ISO 9001:2015 certified, Autodesk ATC, PMI/PMP authorized).
The Arab Contractors firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Arab Contractors
- Legal name
- المقاولون العرب (عثمان احمد عثمان وشركاه)
- Website
- https://arabcont.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1955
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- The Arab Contractors (المقاولون العرب) is a Cairo-headquartered private construction conglomerate founded in 1955, operating across 30 countries with 57,000+ employees, ranked 93rd globally by ENR, serving government ministries and enterprises in infrastructure, shipbuilding, and marine construction.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Arab Contractors industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Infrastructure Construction Services
- NAICS
- Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction (237), Utility System Construction (2371), Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (23711), Industrial Building Construction (23621), Building Equipment Contractors (2382)
- SIC
- Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors (1600), General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623), Construction - Special Trade Contractors (1700), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Construction Program Management (Multi-site/Portfolio) (IMAFAAAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Industrial/Process Plant General Contracting (IMAFAAAH), Commercial General Contracting (New Build) (IMAFAAAA), Civil, Construction & Infrastructure Engineering Staffing (BPACADAH)
Keywords
Where The Arab Contractors is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cairo
- HQ country
- Egypt
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices6 records
Markets served
The Arab Contractors business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Infrastructure Construction Contracts: Revenue is generated through government and private sector construction contracts for infrastructure projects including roads, bridges, tunnels, metro systems, airports, ports, dams, water treatment plants, and buildings. Projects are won through competitive tenders and direct negotiations.
- Shipbuilding and Maritime Construction: Design and construction of floating hotels, cargo barges, river buses, yachts, tugs, floating cranes up to 150 tons, and floating pontoons. Revenue from shipbuilding contracts for international clients such as Viking Cruises.
- Equipment Rental: Rental of heavy equipment and steel sheet piles through the company's specialized equipment rental division.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based construction contracts - no standardized tiered pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
The Arab Contractors product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Arab Contractors is a full-service construction conglomerate that designs and executes large-scale infrastructure and building projects across Egypt, Africa, and the Middle East, including bridges, roads, tunnels, metro and rail systems, airports, ports, water and sewage networks, dams, power stations, monuments restoration, and shipbuilding. The company operates 14 in-house specialized departments, ready-mix concrete plants, equipment rental fleets, and the Massara Shipyard for floating hotel and vessel construction.
Product overview
The Arab Contractors (المقاولون العرب) is a leading construction company in the Middle East and Africa, established in 1955. The company operates as a full-service construction conglomerate offering a diverse portfolio of specialized services organized into 16 sectors including public buildings, housing, transportation, water/sewage, monuments restoration, bridges, roads, airports, tunnels, ports, shipbuilding, power stations, real estate, agriculture, industry, and petroleum. The company maintains specialized divisions for core construction capabilities including marine construction, foundations, formworks, ready-mix concrete, electromechanical works, and manufacturing. Notable specialized offerings include the Massara Shipyard for floating hotel and vessel construction, and the ICEMT training institute for professional development. The company has completed approximately 8,000 projects across 30 countries with 57,000+ employees.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Construction and Contracting Services General construction and contracting services encompassing buildings, roads, bridges, tunnels, water and sewage systems, and marine construction across Egypt, Africa, and the Middle East for government and enterprise clients.
- Bridges and Specialized Construction (الكبارى والانشاءات التخصصية) Bridge construction and specialized structural engineering works delivered through the Bridges Department, including signature projects such as the Rod El-Farag Axis and Manqabad Bridge in Aswan.
- Tunnels and Slipform (الأنفاق والشدات المنزلقة) Tunnel construction using specialized tunneling and slipform concrete technologies for large-scale infrastructure projects including underground metro and road tunnels such as the Port Said tunnels.
- Marine Construction (الإنشاءات البحرية) Marine construction including ports, docks, and maritime infrastructure for government and commercial clients.
- Ship Building - Massara Shipyard (ترسانة المعصرة) Shipyard facility manufacturing floating hotels, cruise vessels, barges, river buses, yachts, tugs, floating cranes up to 150 tons, and floating pontoons. Massara Shipyard is the only facility in Cairo capable of constructing this type of floating hotel, with approximately 40 years of experience and a 1,600-ton ship lift capacity.
- Floating Hotels - Viking Series
Quantifiable outcome
- 8,000 projects completed across 30 countries with a workforce of 57,000+
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Arab Contractors
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Arab Contractors technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
The Arab Contractors partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Siemens MobilityflagshipSiemens Mobility, Orascom, and The Arab Contractors form a partnership for Egypt's first high-speed electric railway, dubbed a 'Suez Canal on rails.' The Arab Contractors manages track, signaling, electrification, and control systems alongside Siemens and Orascom. A 578-acre maintenance facility at October Gardens is being built as one of the region's largest train operation hubs with 133.3 km of track already installed.
- Orascom ConstructionflagshipOrascom Construction and Al Rowad Construction joint venture handles civil and infrastructure works for Egypt's high-speed electric railway project, with The Arab Contractors managing the track, signaling, electrification, and control systems component.
- Al Rowad ConstructionflagshipAl Rowad Construction partnered with Orascom in a joint venture for civil and infrastructure works on Egypt's high-speed electric railway, with The Arab Contractors handling track, signaling, and electrification systems.
- Central Authority for Organization and Administration (الجهاز المركزي للتنظيم والإدارة)coreThe Central Authority for Organization and Administration renewed ICEMT's accreditation, confirming the institute's compliance with national training standards. The renewal was signed by Eng. Sherif Hamdy (ICEMT Director) and Mr. Khaled from the Authority.
- National Governance Institute (المعهد القومي للحوكمة)minorA cooperation agreement was signed between the National Governance Institute and ICEMT (Technological Institute for Construction Engineering and Management) to provide specialized training and development programs.
- Almontasher for Business (المنتور للأعمال)coreAlmontasher for Business (a digital transformation platform) signed a cooperation agreement with The Arab Contractors to support digital transformation and develop leadership skills within the company. The agreement, overseen by Eng. Dina Mohamed Adel Fathy (Board Member), includes training senior leadership on digital and managerial skills, with the ICEMT managing implementation.
- Viking Cruises (فايكنج للسياحة)flagshipOngoing strategic partnership for the design and construction of floating hotels on the Nile. The Arab Contractors builds luxury floating hotels (Viking Osiris launched 2022, Viking Aton launched 2023, Viking Hathor under construction) at its Massara Shipyard. In August 2023, a new contract was signed for 4 additional floating hotels. Viking holds the company in high regard for quality and commitment, with approximately 90 floating hotels and restaurants completed over the years.
- Redcon Construction (ريدكون للتعمير)minorRedcon Construction sent 15 engineers from their Alam Elin project to participate in a finishing works training program delivered by ICEMT at the project site. Redcon praised the training quality and expressed interest in continued cooperation for other projects.
- German Cultural Labor Institution (المؤسسة الثقافية العمالية)minorICEMT signed a cooperation agreement with the German Cultural Labor Institution to train company employees in occupational safety and health topics. A specialized safety course (basic and advanced levels) was conducted under this agreement.
- Frankfurt/Oder Training Center, GermanyminorCollaboration with the Frankfurt/Oder training center in Germany for trainer development and technical skill upgrading. This partnership supports ICEMT's vocational training quality improvement initiatives.
- Ministry of Education, EgyptcoreA cooperation protocol was signed between The Arab Contractors and Egypt's Ministry of Education to adopt a school term in 5 technical schools, providing training in electrical work, welding, and mechanics. The company also operates its own technical secondary school using a dual education system.
- Egyptian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (German-Arab Chamber)minorICEMT worked with the German-Arab Chamber of Industry and Commerce on a German-funded training program, completing training for 1,000 vocational trainees at the Suez Training Center ahead of schedule.
- Bernard (International)minorA cooperation agreement was signed between ICEMT and Bernard International to train engineers and supervisors in various fields. The initial program covered asphalt supervision skills for Saudi engineers, representing the first phase of a broader training partnership.
- Jazan University, Saudi ArabiaminorICEMT agreed to train 16 female students from Jazan University during summer vacation at its Suez Training Center, including theoretical and practical training with site visits to company projects.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Arab Contractors competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hassan Allam Construction: Egyptian private construction major with similar mega-project portfolio spanning roads, bridges, water, and power infrastructure. Competes for the same Egyptian government tenders and has a growing Africa footprint.
- Orascom Construction: Egyptian-listed construction conglomerate with overlapping portfolio across infrastructure, industrial, and mega-projects. Direct JV partner on the Egypt high-speed rail consortium, serving similar government and private-sector clients across MENA.
Broad incumbents
- China Communications Construction Company (CCCC): Chinese state-owned global infrastructure giant — the world's largest contractor by revenue. Increasingly competing for African mega-infrastructure tenders with state-backed financing, representing the primary competitive threat.
- Strabag SE: Austrian-listed global construction group with comparable heavy civil engineering, tunneling, and infrastructure capabilities. Competes for African and international infrastructure tenders and operates at similar mega-project scale.
- Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC): Athens-based global EPC contractor founded in the MENA region with deep footprint in oil & gas, civil infrastructure, and mega-projects across the Middle East and Africa. Direct competitor on large-scale tenders.
- Vinci Construction: French-listed global construction major with extensive infrastructure and civil engineering portfolio. Operates across Africa and MENA through subsidiaries, overlapping on large government infrastructure tenders.
Emerging players
- Hyundai Engineering & Construction: Korean global EPC contractor with strong presence in Middle East and Africa on infrastructure, oil & gas, and power projects. Comparable scale on mega-projects and similar reliance on government-tender business models.
- Bauer AG: German specialty foundation engineering company with significant global presence in deep foundation and geotechnical work. Comparable on specialty construction services and infrastructure foundation work.
Regional players
- Galfar Engineering & Contracting: Oman-based EPC contractor serving oil & gas, infrastructure, and civil construction across MENA. Comparable scale of operations with similar reliance on government tenders and complex mega-project execution.
- Elsewedy Electric: Egyptian-listed infrastructure group with significant electromechanical and utility construction exposure. Operates across Africa and MENA with overlapping customer base in government infrastructure and energy projects.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Arab Contractors social profiles
Digital presenceThe Arab Contractors compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
The Arab Contractors financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Arab Contractors leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
The Arab Contractors subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
The Arab Contractors funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Arab Contractors M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Arab Contractors
What does The Arab Contractors do?
The Arab Contractors is a full-service construction conglomerate that designs and executes large-scale infrastructure and building projects across Egypt, Africa, and the Middle East, including bridges, roads, tunnels, metro and rail systems, airports, ports, water and sewage networks, dams, power stations, monuments restoration, and shipbuilding. The company operates 14 in-house specialized departments, ready-mix concrete plants, equipment rental fleets, and the Massara Shipyard for floating hotel and vessel construction.
Is The Arab Contractors a public or private company?
The Arab Contractors is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was The Arab Contractors founded?
The Arab Contractors was founded in 1955. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is The Arab Contractors based?
The Arab Contractors is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt, in the Africa region.
How does The Arab Contractors make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Infrastructure Construction Contracts are the primary driver. The others are shipbuilding and Maritime Construction and equipment Rental.
Who are The Arab Contractors's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hassan Allam Construction and Orascom Construction. Broad incumbents are China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), Strabag SE, Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) and Vinci Construction. Emerging players are Hyundai Engineering & Construction and Bauer AG. Regional players are Galfar Engineering & Contracting and Elsewedy Electric.
Does The Arab Contractors have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Arab Contractors.
What industry is The Arab Contractors in?
The Arab Contractors's product category is Infrastructure Construction Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFAAAF, Construction Program Management (Multi-site/Portfolio), with a secondary code of IMAFAAAH, Industrial/Process Plant General Contracting. Its NAICS code is 237 and its SIC code is 1600.