French aerospace company Safran has signed a deal with Morocco to open a €280 million ($332 million) aircraft landing gear plant as the country seeks to position itself as an aerospace manufacturing hub in North Africa.
The factory, to be built in Nouaceur near Casablanca, will bolster plans to expand production of the Airbus A320 aircraft by bringing the manufacturing site close to its key strategic markets, Safran said.
Scheduled for operation in 2029, the plant will ultimately hire about 500 skilled workers, it said.
“The choice of location for this new facility is based on Morocco’s industrial robustness and the quality of its talent pool,” said Olivier Andries, chief executive of Safran.
“This new site will strengthen our resilience, agility, and competitiveness, allowing us to meet our customers’ expectations – notably Airbus – and to prepare for the future generation of aircraft.”
The project comes as Morocco is focusing on developing its local manufacturing industry, particularly within the aerospace sector.
Manufacturing aircraft landing gear systems in Morocco marks a new step in the country's integration into global value chains, Morocco's Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour said.
In October, Safran signed deals with Morocco for a new engine assembly line for Airbus jets and a new maintenance centre for the Leap jet engine in Casablanca. Safran co-produces Leap engines with GE Aerospace through their CFM International venture.
Morocco's aerospace sector features 150 companies and employs 25,000 people, according to Reuters.
Royal Air Maroc, the country's flagship carrier, is evaluating proposals from Airbus and Boeing following a tender in April 2024, as it seeks to quadruple its fleet to 200 aircraft by 2037.
The aviation sector will play a critical role in the country’s co-hosting of the 2030 Fifa World Cup.
In the next 20 years, Morocco’s aviation sector is expected to grow significantly with passenger numbers forecast to increase by 50 per cent in 2043 from 2024, according to the International Air Transport Association.
