Aeronautics: Two New Plants Open in Morocco

Morocco’s aeronautic sector continues to attract more investors and major manufacturers thanks to the country’s political stability, low-cost labor, tax incentives and geostrategic position.

The burgeoning sector expanded with the opening in Casablanca suburbs of two new plants by STTS, a subsidy of French industrial group SATYS specialist in aircraft painting, and the Société franco-marocaine de logistique aéronautique (SFML).

These two new facilities are part of the Stelia Aerospace “Assembly ecosystem” launched two years ago in Casablanca. This €400-million cluster helped to create 900 direct/indirect jobs.

Since the launch of the Industrial Acceleration Plan in 2014, employment in the aeronautics sector has increased by 55%, local integration has increased by more than 70%, while the number of companies grew by 10% per year, averaging 130 units, said Minister of Industry Moulay Hafid Elalamy.

The new comers will give a new momentum to the Moroccan aeronautic industry, which seeks to generate a turnover of $2.8 billion and create 23,000 jobs by 2020.
The rapidly growing sector is becoming a driving force of economic growth and development. American giant Boeing has pledged to boost through its own “ecosystem” expected to attract around 120 of its suppliers.

Boeing already has a joint venture with France’s Safran in Casablanca to build wire bundles and harnesses for aircraft makers, including Boeing and Airbus.

Besides Boeing, other global aviation industry giants launched investments in Morocco including Bombardier, Latisma, Alcoa and Stelia, a subsidiary of Airbus.
About 200 companies are operating in Morocco’s aeronautics sector, which ranks 15th worldwide in terms of attracting aviation industry investments.