The world leader in the manufacture of aerostructures for civil and military aviation, Spirit AeroSystems, has officially launched the production of fuselage components for the Airbus A220 aircraft at its recently expanded 25,000 m² North African site in Midparc .
Spirit’s Moroccan site recently started producing fuselage components, the front and rear section of the Airbus A220 aircraft. He has developed expertise in the manufacture of components for Bombardier business jets and has now joined the Spirit sites which already supply Airbus commercial programs.
Fuselage components are shipped from Morocco for assembly at Spirit’s Belfast site in Northern Ireland. Both sites were acquired by Spirit in 2020 as part of a major diversification strategy, adding significant Airbus content and further developing Spirit’s global footprint, as well as its aftermarket services business.
To this end, the Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, said he was proud to present today the largest aeronautical part built in Africa.
“Today, we are proud to celebrate the rapid growth of this site, the construction of which was launched by e Souverain in September 2013 in Midparc. Since then, this state-of-the-art factory, specializing in the manufacture of aeronautical parts and structures, has established itself as one of the flagships of the aeronautical industry in Morocco,” he said.
And to underline: “Spirit’s new program to produce on the extension of this site the largest sections of the fuselage in Africa, high-tech parts of the Airbus A220, further strengthens the Kingdom’s positioning on complex processes at high added value, as well as the international influence of the national aeronautical ecosystem. Our solid partnership with Spirit will continue its path with as much enthusiasm and could eventually open up to other opportunities that we wish to develop further in Morocco”.
For his part, the Vice-President and General Manager of Spirit AeroSystems in Morocco Stephen Orr, noted that the group has developed an ambitious roadmap to accelerate the growth of the site with the support of the Ministry of Industry, affirming that the Group is delighted to expand its manufacturing capability to include this latest Airbus program.
“We look forward to working with the Spirit team in Belfast, who also supply the integrated wing for the A220 aircraft, and to building a strong and rewarding relationship with Airbus,” he said.
In the same vein, Mikail Houari, President, Airbus Africa and Middle East pointed out that the Kingdom already manufactures parts for all Airbus commercial aircraft, including the A220. “This device is the latest addition to our product line and therefore to our industrial footprint in Morocco,” he added.
With this achievement, he continued, the manufacturing of A220 parts is now well integrated into the Moroccan aeronautical ecosystem and can proudly be described as “Made in Morroco”.
And to support: “Today, we celebrate a new milestone in our relationship with Morocco and Spirit AeroSystems and we look forward to continuing to build a robust and sustainable aerospace industry together”.
Spirit AeroSystems is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of aerostructures for commercial aircraft, defense platforms and business jets and regional aircraft. With expertise in aluminum and advanced composite manufacturing solutions, the company’s main products include airframes, integrated wings and wing components, pylons and nacelles.
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