As part of the state visit of Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, to Rabat, Safran Aircraft Engines and the Moroccan government signed a memorandum of understanding relating to the creation of a LEAP engine maintenance workshop which will be operational by 2026.
The construction of this new 25,000 m workshop2 in the Casablanca airport area is part of a massive investment plan to develop the global maintenance and repair network which supports the growth of the LEAP engine fleet. This engine model equips the majority of new generation single-aisle aircraft families Airbus A320neo, Boeing 737 MAX, i.e. nearly 4,000 aircraft in service worldwide.
« I would like to thank the Moroccan government for its active support, as well as its effective support for our new maintenance workshop project, which strengthens Safran’s strategic presence in Morocco., underlines Jean-Paul Alary, President of Safran Aircraft Engines. This workshop will benefit from the best standards in terms of industrial and energy performance. »
The new site will be accompanied by the creation of around 600 direct jobs by 2030 and will benefit from structuring partnerships in terms of training to improve the skills of teams. Ultimately, it will have a maintenance capacity of 150 engines per year and will make it possible to meet the strong demand for shop visits for LEAP, particularly for airlines located in Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
Safran has been present in Morocco for 25 years and employs nearly 4,700 people within 8 companies or joint ventures. The Group is the leader in the aeronautics sector and maintains strong partnerships with manufacturers in the sector, government institutions and training centers in the country. P
The first company established in Morocco in 1999, Safran Aircraft Engine Services Morocco (SAESM), has become a major center of expertise for the maintenance of CFM56 engines. Last April, Safran Aircraft Engines and Royal Air Maroc signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) confirming the continued growth of the site from 70 to 100 shop visits CFM56 per year by 2026.