Morocco ahead of schedule in aeronautical industry goals

Morocco is moving forward posting results that have surpassed the set goals for the aviation industry 2020 plan.

With 140 enterprises in 2019, the sector grew from 3 enterprises 20 years ago and is now generating revenue of 17 billion dirhams.

French Safran for example intended to open a plant employing 400 people but now has 4500 under its payroll in Morocco generating 500 million dirhams in revenues.

In terms of local sourcing rate, the sector hit 34% making it able to exceed the 35% set for 2020 as the sector adds to its list an average 10 enterprises per year.

The sector employs 16.700 people, a number that is set to grow after the launch of many industrial clusters pertaining to cables, assembly, engineering and maintenance. Boeing has also opened its own ecosystem this year.

Morocco is expecting to attract 120 more aero-space industry enterprises by 2020 which would create 8700 more jobs and bring the sector’s exports to $1 billion.

In tandem with efforts to attract investors, Morocco has created special schools to train human resources. Every year 3300 people are trained in the aero-space industry sector in schools created for that purpose such as the Institute for aeronautical jobs (IMA) and the specialized institute for airports logistics (ISMALA).

Morocco sees promising prospects in the sector as the world will need 40,000 more planes by 2035 amid a lack of qualified human resources and integrated industrial platforms.

With investors such as Boeing, Stelia, Figeac and others, the supply chain is strengthened luring other operators to join the Moroccan platform.

Bombardier, which announced a withdrawal, is not really leaving Morocco since it will sell its Casablanca plant to another operator that will keep supplying it.