Akwel expands Morocco footprint with new automotive plant in Nouaceur

Saturday 03 - 19:45

Morocco’s automotive industry is set to gain another production facility as French supplier Akwel advances plans for a new industrial unit in Nouaceur, near Casablanca. The project will expand the company’s existing presence in the country while adding new manufacturing capabilities to Morocco’s increasingly diversified automotive supply chain.

The facility, being developed within a free zone in the Casablanca-Settat region, will focus on metal mechanisms used in automotive applications. Production is expected to include cutting and assembly activities, positioning the site as a complementary operation to Akwel’s existing facility in El Jadida.

A larger industrial footprint

Akwel has secured land for the project and expanded the planned size of the facility from an initial 7,500 square metres to approximately 9,000 square metres. Preparatory work has already started, according to the company’s 2026 half-year financial report.

The plant is currently scheduled to enter service in early 2027. Akwel has not yet provided details on the investment value or the number of employees expected to work at the site.

The project is being carried out through Akwel Casablanca Morocco, a company established in December 2025 with share capital of €15 million. Its creation provided a dedicated corporate structure for the development of the new industrial operation.

Nouaceur reinforces its role in automotive manufacturing

The decision to establish the plant in Nouaceur reflects the area’s concentration of industrial and automotive activities and its access to Casablanca’s logistics network. The location also places Akwel within a broader ecosystem of manufacturers and component suppliers serving automotive production in Morocco and international markets.

By adding metal cutting and assembly capabilities, the new site is expected to broaden Akwel’s manufacturing base in Morocco. It will operate alongside AKWEL El Jadida Morocco, giving the French group a wider industrial presence across the country.

The expansion comes as Morocco seeks to increase the share of locally manufactured components and develop more sophisticated stages of automotive production. Beyond vehicle assembly, the country has been attracting companies involved in components, equipment and specialized industrial processes.

Automotive sector moves further up the value chain

Morocco’s automotive industry generated around MAD 196 billion in revenue in 2024 and supported more than 250,000 jobs. The sector has become one of the country’s major industrial pillars, supported by a growing network of international manufacturers and suppliers.

Akwel’s new project adds capacity in a segment requiring specialized manufacturing processes, including cutting, forming, assembly and quality control. Such activities contribute to the broader effort to increase local industrial content and integrate Moroccan production sites more deeply into international automotive supply chains.

At group level, Akwel reported revenue of €414.9 million for the first half of 2026. The Moroccan expansion therefore forms part of the company’s wider industrial development while reinforcing its relationships with automotive manufacturers and suppliers operating in the country.

A new phase for Morocco’s automotive ecosystem

The Nouaceur project illustrates the evolution of Morocco’s automotive strategy from attracting production facilities toward building a broader industrial base. The development of local component manufacturing can help expand supplier networks and create additional opportunities for specialized industrial activities.

With its second Moroccan facility, Akwel is adding another layer to this ecosystem. As the Nouaceur plant moves toward its planned 2027 launch, the project will contribute to the continued expansion of automotive manufacturing capacity around Casablanca and strengthen Morocco’s role in international automotive supply chains.