The Canadian aerospace company has chosen Morocco as its African hub.

Rabat – The Canadian aerospace company Bombardier has launched construction on an extension project for its plant in Casablanca’s Midparc economic free zone in Casablanca.

The company is set to complete the project in early 2020.

The plant extension will specialize in producing Airbus Neo A320 nacelle thrust reversers and other aeronautical equipment.

The extension will nearly double the space of the current plant, covering an area of 14,500 square meters, adjacent to the current plant’s 16,000 square meters. The plant currently has 400 direct jobs, according to Matin-Eco.

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The vice president of the Manufacturing Center of Morocco for Bombardier, announced that the expansion would enhance his company’s long-term “aerostructures strategy to develop its nacelle market expertise.”

The news outlet reported that the extension is within the framework of a memorandum of understanding signed between the Moroccan government and the company in 2011.

The company pledged to invest $200 million in Morocco by upgrading its industrial plants to offer about 850 direct job opportunities by 2020.

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“Bombardier has demonstrated a strong commitment to Morocco. We are extremely pleased with our progress and look forward to achieving our goals,” he added.

Several international aerospace companies are increasing their presence in Morocco. In November 2018, Moroccan and Canadian officials talked about the importance of promoting aerospace cooperation in an event in Ottawa, Canada.

Morocco’s ambassador to Canada, Soraya Otmani, said that the aerospace sector is “now one of the kingdom’s promising levers for growth and job creation.”

In addition to Bombardier, Boeing also has a joint venture with France’s Safran in Casablanca to build aerospace parts, such as wire bundles and harnesses.

Last year, Morocco’s foreign exchange office announced that the Moroccan aviation industry earned more than MAD 9.78 billion in the first 11 months of 2017, compared to MAD 8.42 billion in 2016, an increase of 16 percent.