Thanks to all the constituents it encompasses, the aeronautical sector, one of the finest industrial jewels in Morocco, does not seem to be unduly affected by the global crisis affecting air transport in the world.
More than twenty years after the launch of the first initiative in the aeronautical sector, the industry once set up in Morocco has become the main aeronautical exporter of aeronautical materials, parts and components from the African continent and elsewhere. Between us, he recently overtook South Africa. A feat that is not isolated moreover “in a sector that is extremely demanding in terms of quality, labor training costs, investment, the supply chain or the trust of major clientsas pointed out on the occasion by Saad Bendourou, Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in France.
However, it has various industrial platforms of choice in this very particular field of aeronautics and in its momentum it intends to make the current exercise a reference year. In any case, this is what was perceived during a digital meeting recently organized by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Morocco (CFCIM) in partnership with Royal Air Maroc (RAM), for the launch of the third stage of the Morocco-France economic days, a preview of those which will take place from March 23 to 25 in Toulouse, capital of the aeronautical industry in France.
With an export figure of nearly 1.3 billion US dollars (2018) and production growth rates around 18%, Moroccan aircraft manufacturers recorded good growth in the export of manufacturing industry (13.8%), representing some 5.6% of the Kingdom’s total exports. If we stick to the event of the French Chamber and in a few figures, the aeronautical ecosystem in Morocco currently has nearly 140 companies with a turnover of around 2 billion dollars for export. and a number of direct jobs reaching 17,000 employees, 40% of whom are women.
As for the integration rate, it is said to be from 17% in 2014 to more than 38% before the health crisis (2020). The global sector was at a growth rate of between 18 and 20% before the crisis. Since then, impacted by the magic of Dame Covid, we record, “a 10% drop in staff and a drop in activity of almost 30%“. Faith of aircraft manufacturer and equipment manufacturer that we reassure ourselves, for the recovery in sight in Morocco country with blue sky, the celestial way is all clear. This is not nothing and the turbulence experienced under the era of Dame Covid has, it seems, not shaken the Aeronautical Kingdom in the least.
It is true that Morocco does not yet produce planes. Also, no intention for the Kingdom to treat the finished product. On the other hand, it is a truism to say that the world aviation market is dominated by a duopoly made up of the American aircraft manufacturer Boeing and the European Airbus. An overwhelming supremacy, slightly disturbed by the Canadian Bombardier (Airbus) and the Brazilian Embraser (subcontractor Boeing). Chinese and Russian aircraft manufacturers have the ambition to break through, but they still have a long way to go.
However for the rest of us, the aeronautics sector in Morocco and in view of the signs of recovery which are emerging everywhere at the world level should benefit from the context with the rise in power of Airbus which has signed a well-filled order book. , Boeing not being outdone. This presumes a promising future Morocco having all “the assets to support the recovery of the sector for SMEs, on the Morocco-France partnerships in the sector, having integrated in this a sustained growth over time, thus creating value and employment in their respective Moroccan and French basesunderlined during this meeting Karim Cheikh, president of the Group of Moroccan aeronautical and space industries (GIMAS).
The guy while projecting himself towards thematic tomorrows, such as the green plane, the decarbonization of processes, the industry of the future 4.0, ditto… stressed that in addition to the resilience of the aeronautical sector in Morocco, “we are on a good trajectory to return to the same level as before the crisis, i.e. 2019“. We want to believe it for the seriousness of this sector which for the time being with the automobile, the telecoms, the agriculture the phosphates the pride of the Moroccan.
.