Some anniversaries are marked by speeches, others by construction work. In Temara, the 20th anniversary of Safran Electrical & Power’s Moroccan site was celebrated in the second way: on Tuesday, the company inaugurated a fourth extension, presided over by the Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, alongside Bruno Beraldi, the company’s president. Beyond the ceremony, I see in this announcement a useful indicator of how a major aerospace supplier judges, over twenty years, the reliability of an industrial location.
A 5,700-square-metre extension and more than 400 jobs
According to the information shared during the ceremony, this investment adds 5,700 square metres of industrial space to the Temara site. It is meant to strengthen production capacity and diversify the products made in Morocco. The creation of more than 400 new jobs has been announced.
These figures come from the organisers. The amount invested and the ramp-up schedule were not specified in the information available to me. They deserve to be documented as soon as they are made public, because they shape the economic reading of the operation: 400 jobs spread over one year or over five do not carry the same weight.
In its corporate communications, Safran Electrical & Power describes itself as a world leader in aircraft electrical systems. It is also a player in the electrification of equipment and in electric and hybrid propulsion. These businesses are at the heart of the current transformation of aviation, which is seeking to reduce its energy consumption and emissions, making these skills strategic for the group.
Twenty years of presence in Temara
The Temara site is not a recent addition. Four extensions in twenty years trace a pattern of growth in stages: each expansion generally responds to new volumes or new programmes awarded by aircraft manufacturers. In my view, this regularity matters more than a spectacular but isolated investment. Industrial groups do not expand a site for the fourth time unless operational performance, quality and costs are up to expectations.
This is the argument the minister put forward. Ryad Mezzour stated that this extension reflects the renewed confidence of the Safran group in Morocco, in the efficiency of the national workforce and in the ability of the Moroccan industrial system to meet the expectations of the major global players in the sector. He also linked the momentum of the aerospace industry to the vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, which aims to consolidate the Kingdom’s position as an attractive destination for major industrial investment and to strengthen its integration into global value chains.
Safran in Morocco, a central player in the sector
This extension is part of a broader presence. According to the group, Safran has been established in Morocco since 1999, with the creation of Safran Aircraft Engine Services Morocco, a joint venture with Royal Air Maroc specialising in engine maintenance. It now employs more than 4,800 people across ten sites, according to figures released by the group in October 2025. It has since diversified into nacelles, defence electronics, engineering, equipment and electrical systems.
In October 2025, the group announced a package of investments worth more than 350 million euros. It includes two new industrial facilities in Nouaceur, near Casablanca: an engine maintenance shop for LEAP engines and an assembly line for LEAP-1A engines intended for the Airbus A320neo. It also includes the extension of three existing sites, among them a Safran Electrical & Power site in Ain Atiq, in the Temara area. LEAP engines, co-produced by Safran and GE Aerospace within CFM International, power the majority of new-generation single-aisle aircraft, including the A320neo and the Boeing 737 MAX. The group presented these projects as a significant step in its Moroccan footprint.
I have not been able to establish with certainty whether the extension inaugurated today corresponds exactly to the one announced at the time for Ain Atiq. The geographical overlap and the timing suggest it does, but I will not state it without confirmation from the company.
A fast-growing aerospace sector
To gauge what this extension represents, it needs to be placed within the evolution of the national industry. Here are the most recent benchmarks, as reported by the business press based on data from the Foreign Exchange Office and the authorities:
- Aerospace exports reached a record 26.4 billion dirhams in 2024, according to the Foreign Exchange Office.
- They grew by about 9% in the first half of 2025, to 14.13 billion dirhams.
- According to data compiled by AMDIE, they reached 3.2 billion dollars in 2025, about 10% higher than in 2024.
- The industry counts around 150 to 155 companies and between 26,000 and 27,000 jobs, depending on the sources and dates.
- The local integration rate stood between 40% and 43% at the end of April 2025, against a 50% target set under the 2021-2025 Industrial Acceleration Plan.
These figures show sustained growth, but also a local integration target that had not yet been reached at the latest available measurement. I have not found a more recent figure on this last point.
What this new investment reveals
Three readings seem relevant to me.
The first is economic. The 400 jobs announced add to an industrial employment pool already structured around the Casablanca-Rabat axis. For the Temara area, close to the capital, they reinforce a network of companies able to recruit qualified technicians and operators. The group recruits there regularly, notably continuous improvement technicians, which points to a well-established industrial activity.
The second reading is strategic. Morocco was long perceived as a low-value-added subcontracting location. The diversification of the products made, mentioned in Temara, points towards a move up the value chain. What it covers precisely remains to be seen: new types of wiring and electrical systems, more complex assemblies, or more technology-intensive activities. The difference matters for the value added captured locally.
The third is geopolitical and commercial. Major contractors are seeking to bring their supply chains closer to their markets while spreading their risks. Proximity to Europe, macroeconomic stability and trade agreements work in Morocco’s favour. Safran’s executives made this point in 2025, highlighting the quality of the talent, the modernity of the infrastructure and a stable macroeconomic environment.
Points of caution
A serious article cannot stop at the success story. Several challenges remain, and industry players acknowledge them themselves.
The first is skills. As sites multiply and products become more complex, demand for qualified profiles rises, and competition between employers in the same area may intensify. Training therefore remains a major issue, and the group has indicated that it created Safran University in 2023 to address it.
The second is exposure to the economic cycle. Aerospace is a cyclical sector, dependent on the production rates of a limited number of manufacturers and on their industrial setbacks. A heavily export-oriented industry remains exposed to decisions taken outside the country.
The third concerns local integration. Reaching or exceeding 50% local content requires building a network of Moroccan suppliers able to meet the quality standards of the major groups. This is a long-term undertaking, which depends as much on companies as on public support policies.
Finally, the geographical concentration of activity, mainly along the Casablanca-Rabat axis, raises the question of more balanced regional development, even though operations also exist elsewhere, such as in Tiflet.
Outlook
In short, the inauguration in Temara says this: an industrial site that works and keeps growing for twenty years eventually becomes an argument in itself. It reassures other investors, lends credibility to the ecosystem and feeds the public authorities’ narrative. But the real test will come in the years ahead, through three questions: will the move up the value chain materialise, will the jobs created remain qualified over time, and will local suppliers be able to keep pace?
I will return to this story as soon as the company discloses the amount invested and the nature of the new production. These two elements will make it possible to measure the real scope of this fourth extension.
FAQ
What was inaugurated in Temara?
The fourth extension of the Safran Electrical & Power Morocco industrial site, which adds 5,700 square metres of industrial space. The inauguration was presided over by Minister Ryad Mezzour on the occasion of the site’s 20th anniversary.
How many jobs will this extension create?
More than 400 new jobs have been announced. The precise recruitment schedule has not been disclosed in the information available.
What does Safran Electrical & Power make in Morocco?
Safran Electrical & Power specialises in aircraft electrical systems and the electrification of equipment. The details of the new products to be made in Temara after the extension have not been specified.
Since when has Safran been present in Morocco?
Since 1999, with the creation of an engine maintenance joint venture with Royal Air Maroc. The group now employs more than 4,800 people across ten sites, according to its October 2025 figures.
