Morocco stands out as an obvious destination for aerospace investment thanks to its talents — a true industrial and modern infrastructure momentum driven under the impetus of the King,said Olivier Andriès,CEO and board member of the Safran Group.
“We chose to invest in the aircraft engine complex in Nouaceur based on the welcoming conditions,talent,and infrastructure,” emphasized Andriès,who was on Thursday guest on the “Good Morning Business” program on the French channel BFM Business.
Highlighting the Kingdom’s “outstanding” engineering schools and a stable macroeconomic environment,the French group’s CEO stated that the country is truly strategic for Safran,“a country where we have gradually developed our activities over the past 25 years.”
Today,he added,“the group employs 5,000 people in Morocco,extraordinary talent,committed,enthusiastic,and performing at the highest operational level. We are very well received there.”
In this context,Andriès stated that the Safran Group is increasing its aircraft engine assembly capacity “at a time when its aircraft manufacturer clients,Airbus and Boeing,are ramping up production.”
“We decided to invest in new engine assembly capacity as part of our resilience strategy,to ensure at least a dual-source setup for all of our activities,” he explained,citing Safran’s investment in aircraft nacelles,with two manufacturing sites for Airbus A320 nacelles,one in France and the other in Casablanca,“which is performing extraordinarily well.”
King Mohammed VI chaired on Monday in Nouaceur the presentation ceremony and launch of the construction work of the Safran Group’s new aircraft engines industrial complex.
The new complex,which will include an assembly and testing plant for Safran’s aircraft engines,as well as another dedicated to maintenance and repair activities for the new generation LEAP (Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion) engines,is expected to create many job opportunities for young Moroccans,aligned with the training they have received.
Morocco’s selection reflects strategic advantages beyond cost considerations. Geographic positioning between Europe,Africa,and the Middle East provides logistical efficiency,while political stability and consistent industrial policies offer the predictability essential for long-term aerospace investments. The kingdom’s investment in specialized training through partnerships with the Institute of Aeronautical Trades and local engineering schools has created a pipeline of qualified technicians and engineers meeting Safran’s exacting standards.
Eight Safran subsidiaries now operate in Morocco,attracting numerous European suppliers and strengthening the local aerospace ecosystem. The company’s commitment extends to sustainability,with agreements to power facilities entirely through renewable energy by 2026,aligning production with increasingly stringent environmental requirements from airlines and manufacturers seeking reduced carbon footprints across their supply chains.
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