On August 11, H.E. Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of the Congo, visited the Maloukou Special Economic Zone to announce the official grid connection and activation of power supply facilities, marking the official commissioning of the Maloukou 220kV Power Transmission and Transformation Project undertaken by CMEC Group. Subsequently, the President toured an agricultural equipment assembly plant within the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) – a joint venture between YTO Group and a local enterprise – which had been brought back into operation with CMEC Group’s assistance. He immediately purchased the first YTO tractor off the production line, becoming the plant’s first owner. Prime Minister Anatole Collinet Makosso, Deputy Prime Minister Jean-Jacques Bouya, and other government ministers attended the event.

Powering the SEZ’s Industrialization Drive

During the visit, President Sassou Nguesso made a special on-site inspection of the 220kV substation and the approximately 14-kilometer 220kV transmission line from Djiri to Maloukou. The project passed provisional acceptance in December 2025, putting an end to the SEZ’s long-standing power shortage and providing a vital energy lifeline for its industrial production. The President spoke highly of the project’s construction quality and fully acknowledged CMEC Group’s critical role in ensuring the SEZ’s power supply.

Reliable Power Enables Production and Local Manufacturing of SINOMACH Agricultural Equipment

The reliable power supply has also revitalized the long-dormant agricultural equipment assembly plant. Leveraging its well-established marketing channels cultivated over years of overseas presence, CMEC Group supplied the owner with YTO brand tractors and complete knockdown (CKD) kits, while dispatching a technical team to the site. The first phase involves the supply of 100 tractors and technical services, with the first batch of 30 units arriving at the plant in April. Through efficient organization, the production line was restored and put into operation within just six months.

At the ceremony, President Sassou Nguesso enthusiastically test-rode a freshly assembled 75 HP YTO tractor, and highly praised its driving comfort. He immediately purchased the first unit, becoming the plant’s first customer, and expressed high recognition for the YTO brand. The plant primarily produces 70–140 HP tractors, making it one of the most advanced tractor production lines in Africa, with the main models being 75 HP and 130 HP – featuring robust power, stable quality, high tractive force, and easy maintenance – all highly favored by African users.

The revival of the agricultural equipment assembly plant not only facilitates the further entry of Chinese agricultural machinery into the Republic of the Congo market but also creates conditions for Chinese agricultural equipment to participate in the country’s agricultural modernization through localized production and services.

Synergistic Global Expansion Integrating “EPC Contracting + Equipment Manufacturing + Technical Services” Highlights SINOMACH’s “Industrialization + Internationalization” Strength

From securing power supply for the SEZ to assisting in the revival of the agricultural equipment assembly plant, this represents a new practice by CMEC Group in promoting “SINOMACH manufacturing” overseas – driven by engineering projects, anchored by industrial collaboration, and supported by synergistic coordination.

As the general contractor of the power transmission project, CMEC Group proactively extended its service chain based on the project’s actual needs, assisting the owner in coordinating resources including “power access + equipment supply + technical training,” and organically linking engineering construction with equipment manufacturing and technical services to precisely align YTO agricultural equipment with local industrial demand.

This successful model – using engineering projects as a platform for industrial cooperation, driving equipment deployment through engineering services, and further extending industrial chain value through localized production lines – stands as a landmark achievement of synergistic collaboration among SINOMACH subsidiaries in accelerating global expansion. In this process, engineering serves as a vital link connecting the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain, gradually transforming overseas projects from mere delivery sites into platforms for the synergistic global expansion of SINOMACH’s strengths in equipment manufacturing and technical services.

In recent years, CMEC Group has continuously deepened synergistic collaboration with SINOMACH subsidiaries to promote the global expansion of high-end SINOMACH-branded equipment. In the Nigeria Ji-Zhou Agricultural Mechanization Center project, CAMCE, a member enterprise of CMEC Group, worked closely with YTO Group, with the first batch of 300 YTO tractors successfully delivered to users.

Following the event, CMEC Group’s Representative Office in the Republic of the Congo held further exchanges with the Congolese side to explore broader cooperation in the integrated development of agriculture, animal husbandry, and rural roads. In addition, CMEC Group is currently constructing 100 affordable housing units within the SEZ to further improve supporting facilities, and the project is proceeding smoothly.

President Sassou Nguesso’s visit and inspection are not only an authoritative recognition of CMEC Group’s performance capabilities and engineering quality but also a vivid illustration of deepening cooperation and mutual benefit between China and the Republic of the Congo in the energy, industrial, and agricultural sectors. More importantly, they are a powerful testament to the advantages of SINOMACH’s full industrial chain “going global as a cohesive force.” Looking ahead, CMEC Group will continue to leverage its engineering-led and platform integration strengths to introduce more quality SINOMACH-branded products to the world.