The automotive industry in Morocco has significantly grown over the past decade, producing more than 108700 vehicles in 2012. The country is nowadays hosting a large number of manufacturing firms and is looking to attract more vehicle makers.
According to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, Morocco produced a total of 108743 vehicles with an increase of 83% compared to last year. This positions Morocco as second in the African continent behind South Africa. Exports (by value) increased by 17.5% with sales reaching a total of 963 million euros.
Production and exports are set to rise even more thanks to the recently launched Renault new production line in factories in Casablanca and Tangiers and the recent expansion of Mellousa facility that will double its annual production capacity to 340000 vehicles, making it the largest car factory in Africa. According to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, such expansion will propel the kingdom of Morocco to the 19th place in the list of the largest vehicle producers in the world by the year of 2017.
Industry minister Moulay Hafid Elalamy announced earlier this year that another major car manufacturer is set to invest in Morocco in the next three years noting that Morocco offers numerous advantages in the industry, such as highly competitive salaries, the strategic geographic location and the good transport infrastructure that allows for easy access to both European and African markets. The government also offer many attractive terms to such investors such as tax incentives and land for some facilities.
The Moroccan Times.
