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French aerospace leader Safran has signed two landmark agreements with Morocco, marking a significant expansion of its operations in the North African country. The deals involve the construction of a new LEAP-1A engine assembly line for Airbus aircraft and the development of a major maintenance and repair center near Casablanca.
Safran plans to invest €120 million (USD 139 million) in the assembly facility, which will produce approximately 350 LEAP-1A engines annually—around a quarter of its global output for Airbus jets. These high-efficiency engines, developed through CFM International, Safran’s joint venture with GE Aerospace, power aircraft including the Airbus A320neo, Boeing 737 MAX, and COMAC C919.
A second investment worth €200 million will fund a new engine maintenance and repair center, expected to be operational by 2027, with a capacity to service 150 engines per year.
Safran CEO Olivier Andriès cited Morocco’s political stability, skilled labor force, and competitive incentives as key reasons for the expansion. He emphasized that the move would boost supply chain resilience and provide a strategic alternative for production outside of Europe.
Currently, Safran’s main LEAP-1A production hub is in Villaroche, near Paris, which produces about 1,000 units annually across three lines.
The new facilities will be located in Midparc, a specialized industrial zone near Casablanca. Morocco is actively promoting aerospace investment through incentives such as coverage of up to 30% of capital expenditures and preferential access to industrial land.
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Already a growing hub for aerospace, Morocco hosts over 150 aerospace firms employing 25,000 workers. Aerospace exports surged to 26 billion dirhams (USD 2.8 billion) in 2024, up from 21.8 billion dirhams the previous year. Alongside Safran, major players like Boeing and Royal Air Maroc are also expanding operations, reinforcing Morocco’s status as Africa’s second-largest industrial economy and an emerging global aerospace player.
