Tanger.. A New Factory from a German Group Enhances Morocco’s Position in Automotive Components Industry
The German group “ZF LIFETEC,” globally specialized in passive safety technologies for vehicles, has opened a new industrial unit at the Tangier Med platform, dedicated to manufacturing steering wheels over an area of 8,000 square meters in the automotive equipment manufacturing city “Tangier Automotive City.”
This factory represents the first investment for the German group in Africa and is part of its strategy to reduce supply chains and get closer to markets and customers. Rudolf Stark, the group’s CEO, confirmed that Morocco is a strategic investment choice due to its advanced infrastructure, availability of skilled labor, and proximity to European markets.
Production operations have begun at the factory, which currently employs about 300 Moroccan staff. This site is the fifty-first in the group’s global network, which aims to form a regional production triangle that also includes sites in Spain and Portugal. Officials noted that the steering wheel is a crucial component in vehicles, requiring technical precision and high manual skill, both of which are provided by local talents.
The project represents a qualitative addition to the industrial ecosystem within “Tangier Automotive City,” which hosts over 160 suppliers in the automotive sector and benefits from logistical proximity to the Port of Tangier Med, enhancing Morocco’s attractiveness as an industrial and export platform. By the end of 2024, the industrial platform is expected to record a cumulative turnover of $17.22 billion, bolstered by developments in the automotive, aerospace, textile, and logistics sectors.
Officials from the Tangier Med group emphasized that this investment strengthens Morocco’s industrial positioning and reflects international confidence in the national business climate, supporting the kingdom’s aim for a more integrated and competitive automotive industry globally.
