MOROCCO: Casablanca's Aero City seeks to act as regional hub for the aerospace industry

Record ID: 735233

  • Title: MOROCCO: Casablanca's Aero City seeks to act as regional hub for the aerospace industry
  • Date: 7th March 2008
  • Summary: (MER-1) CASABLANCA, MOROCCO (RECENT) (REUTERS) ROYAL AIR MAROC AEROPLANE TAXIING ON TARMAC, PASSENGER SHUTTLE DRIVING BY WING OF ROYAL AIR MAROC MORE OF ROYAL AIR MAROC TAXIING TWO AEROPLANES PARKED IN SERVICE BAY WIDE OF SNECMA MOROCCO BUILDING PLAQUE READING: 'SNECMA MOROCCO, ENGINE SERVICES, SAFRAN GROUP, ENGINE TEST FACILITY' WIDE OF PLANT INTERIOR TECHNICIANS SERVICING ENGINE (SOUNDBITE) (English) KARIM BLELEFQIH, TECHNICAL AND PRODUCTION DIRECTOR, SNECMA MOROCCO, SAYING: "We have skilled technicians and engineers. We also have the know-how and we have the ability to develop this industry. The fact that the government of Morocco has chosen aeronautics as one of the main development axes, so there is a lot of help given to new companies that want to develop, install or invest in Morocco." TWO TECHNICIANS CHECKING A PART CLOSE OF TWO TECHNICIANS TECHNICIANS WORKING ON AEROPLANE ENGINE CLOSE OF AEROPLANE ENGINE CLOSE OF TECHNICIAN AT WORK TECHNICIAN WORKING GROUP OF TECHNICIANS AT WORK CLOSE OF PART TECHNICIANS WORKING ON ENGINE NOTICE READING (in English): 'OMAN AIR' GROUP OF TECHNICIANS NEAR AN ENGINE GENERAL DIRECTOR OF MATIS AEROSPACE VINCENT CARO TALKING TO A VISITOR (SOUNDBITE) (French) VINCENT CARO, GENERAL DIRECTOR OF MATIS AEROSPACE, SAYING: "The success of this industry is linked to the competitiveness of Morocco with its young and skilled population. In Morocco we find highly-qualified engineers, of the same standard you would find in France, the United States and Canada. So competitiveness, in addition to a dedicated and qualified workforce, leads to results." DRAWING OF ENGINE DESIGN TWO TECHNICIANS WORKING CLOSE OF ENGINE PART/ TECHNICIAN VARIOUS OF ENGINE PART VARIOUS OF TECHNICIAN CHECKING PART DRAWING PARTS DRAWING OF CFM56-3 M ENGINE DESIGN (SOUNDBITE) (French) IMAD FILALI, DIRECTOR OF SALES AND COMMUNICATION, SNECMA MOROCCO, SAYING: "Snecma Morocco has already entered the American, African and European markets. One of the main markets we are keenly interested in is the Middle East where we see a significant increase in demand. We intend to work in this market with our partners. We already have some Middle Eastern clients and it is very promising." DRAWING OF CFM 56-3 ENGINE AIRFLOW DESIGN JET4YOU AIRCRAFT ON TARMAC ROYAL AIR MAROC AEROPLANE ON TARMAC
  • Embargoed: 22nd March 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Morocco
  • Country: Morocco
  • Topics: Industry,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVA2MRGBNHHGYHA090J4XIAF8UVX
  • Story Text: Morocco is seeking to expand its share of the international aerospace market with its purpose-built Casablanca Aero City, offering land, skilled labour and a range of facilities and incentives for investors.
    The various plants in the secured 85-hectare area provide customers with high-tech aircraft engine maintenance, repair and overhaul services, commonly known as MRO.
    The production teams receive and check components brought from various parts of the world. Following a perfectly controlled manufacturing process, they ensure the assembling of cables, connectors, contacts and boots.

    "We have skilled technicians and engineers. We also have the know-how and we have the ability to develop this industry. The fact that the government of Morocco has chosen aeronautics as one of the main development axes, so there is a lot of help given to new companies that want to develop, install or invest in Morocco," technical and production director of Snecma Morocco Karim Blelefqih told Reuters.
    Some companies established in the Casa Aero City have become industry leaders in Africa and are striving to develop business elsewhere in the world.
    Their main assets are highly skilled workforce, low costs, flexibility and responsiveness.

    "The success of this industry is linked to the competitiveness of Morocco with its young and skilled population. In Morocco we find highly-qualified engineers, of the same standard you would find in France, the United States and Canada. So competitiveness, in addition to a dedicated and qualified workforce, leads to results," said Vincent Caro, general-director of Matis Aerospace, an American-French-Moroccan joint venture On-site services available in the aerospace city include: engine MRO, engine maintenance on site, customer support, engine leasing and training, engineering, electrical test and final control and production.
    The thirty companies set up in the Casablanca platform also benefit from government incentives such as: 100 percent tax break for the first five years and fifty percent afterwards and access to the Hassan II Special Fund for Investment.
    Many companies like Snecma Morocco already service a range of Arab clients like Tunisia, Egypt and Oman, but the Middle Eastern market has yet to be won by the Casa Aero City.

    "Snecma Morocco has already entered the American, African and European markets. One of the main markets we are keenly interested in is the Middle East where we see a significant increase in demand. We intend to work in this market with our partners. We already have some Middle Eastern clients and it is very promising," Imad el-Filali, director of sales and communication at Snecma Morocco told Reuters.
    By 2012, aerospace companies established in Casablanca expect to attain more than 1.5 billion U.S. dollars per year in exports, which would create 15,000 jobs in the Greater Casablanca area.
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