Assahafa.com
The Moroccan aerospace industry now stands out, under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, for its resilience, competitiveness and vision for the future. It asserts itself not only as a strategic pillar of the Kingdom’s industrial policy, but also as a showcase of Moroccan know-how, gathering technological excellence, training, innovation and sustainability.
From Casablanca to Tangier, the industry continues to write, mainly thanks to the “aircraft engines” industrial complex of the Safran Group, whose construction work has been launched on Monday by HM the King in Nouaceur, a Success-Story that has turned Morocco into a trusted global partner, ready to take on the challenges of the future of aviation.
Beyond industrial performance, the sector is fully in line with the Kingdom’s strategic guidelines in terms of sustainability and innovation. Moroccan aerospace is keeping pace with global aerospace challenges by integrating the principles of Industry 4.0, process optimization, the digitization of production lines, and the reduction of carbon footprints.
In fact, in less than 25 years, Morocco has managed, thanks to the enlightened vision of HM the King, to construct a world-class aerospace platform, allowing the Kingdom to integrate a closed circle of aerospace Nations.
The story started in 1958, when Morocco’s flag carrier, Royal Air Maroc (RAM) inaugurated its maintenance workshops in Casablanca, laying the foundation for a national know-how in the field of aerospace maintenance.
In 1999, driven by the Royal Will to diversify the national economy and attract major global manufacturers, RAM joined forces with Snecma – now Safran – to create Snecma Morocco Engine Services (SMES), which later became Safran Aircraft Engine Services Morocco.
Two years later, the creation of MATIS Aerospace, a joint venture between Safran, Boeing, and Royal Air Maroc, marked the Kingdom’s entry into aerospace manufacturing. This facility, dedicated to the manufacture of harnesses and wiring systems, enabled Morocco to integrate the supply chain of the world’s largest manufacturers and lay the foundations for a competitive industrial base.
The year 2004 marked a turning point with the launch of the Emergence Plan, which elevated aerospace to the status of “Morocco’s Global Industry” and positioned the Kingdom as a reliable partner serving major international contractors. Two years later, the creation of the Grouping of Moroccan Aeronautical and Space Industries GIMAS) supported the development and structuring of the Moroccan aerospace platform.
During the same period, Safran bolsters its anchoring by launching several branches: Safran Electrical & Power Morocco (Rabat – Aïn Atiq), specialized in manufacturing electrical harnesses; Safran Nacelles Morocco (Nouaceur), dedicated to composite structures and nacelles; and Safran Engineering Services Morocco (Casablanca), which bolsters the engineering and conception dimension.
With the National Pact for Industrial Emergence (PNEI), launched in 2009, Morocco confirmed its desire to make aerospace a strategic lever for industrial development. Within this framework, the Institute of Aeronautical Professions (IMA) was created on May 6, 2011, in Casablanca, the result of a public-private partnership, to train highly qualified technicians who meet the needs and standards of manufacturers.
In September 2013, HM the King inaugurated the Specialized Institute of Aeronautics and Airport Logistics (ISMALA), confirming the importance granted to developing human capital, a central pillar of the sector’s competitiveness.
The year 2013 also saw the inauguration of Midparc Casablanca, an industrial acceleration zone dedicated to aeronautics and symbolizing an integrated vision combining modern infrastructure and economic attractiveness. This center of excellence, commissioned by His Majesty the King, is now a benchmark ecosystem hosting giants such as Safran, Spirit Aerosystems, Hexcel, Airbus, Pratt & Whitney, and Thales.
Under Royal impetus, the Industrial Acceleration Plan (PAI), launched in 2014, will consolidate the achievements and propel aeronautics towards new horizons. Based on the structuring of industrial ecosystems (engines, wiring, assembly, engineering, MRO, composites), this strategy promotes local integration, increased added value, and the development of a competitive national supply chain.
At the same time, Airbus is consolidating its presence in Morocco through the development of new industrial and engineering capabilities. Its subsidiary Airbus Atlantic is strengthening the production of aerostructures and high value-added components at the Nouaceur site.
In September 2016, a historical milestone was reached with the signing, under the Presidency of HM the King, of the agreement protocol covering the creation of a Boeing industrial ecosystem in Morocco. This agreement, concluded between the Kingdom and the US giant, provides for the establishment of an integrated industrial platform designed to attract the manufacturer’s main suppliers to Morocco.
The following years saw the arrival of new global stakeholders and the expansion of existing ones: Thales 3D Maroc; TDM Aerospace; Hexcel, Spirit Aerosystems, SABCA Maroc, Hutchinson, Figeac Aéro, Aciturri, and Trelleborg.
In 2021, Sabca and Pilatus signed a major contract for the near-final assembly in Casablanca of aerostructures for the PC-12 program, the Swiss manufacturer’s best-seller.
In 2022, Collins Aerospace’s confidence in the Moroccan platform was reflected in the signing of an agreement for the development of a sourcing ecosystem, which was formalized on the sidelines of the Farnborough International Airshow.
The Kingdom is also confirming its ability to position itself in high-tech segments and is entering a new era in aerospace, notably through the rise of the engine ecosystem.
In 2023, Safran and the Kingdom will take another major step forward in their historic partnership with the creation of the Safran ecosystem. This structured framework aims to accelerate the development of a competitive Moroccan supply chain, strengthen high-tech activities, and support the development of national talent through joint training and research programs.
This momentum received a further boost with the signing, under the presidency of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and President Emmanuel Macron, of a memorandum of understanding between the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco and SAFRAN for the establishment of an aircraft engine maintenance and repair facility.
These investments allowed Morocco to reach a historical milestone: more than 150 companies, more than 24,000 highly skilled jobs and a local integration rate exceeding 40%. In 2024, the sector’s export revenue reached MAD 26.4 billion, confirming the soundness and sustained growth of Morocco’s aerospace ecosystem.
Source: map
