Smurfit Kappa to Open First African Plant in Morocco

Ireland-based Smurfit Kappa, one of Europe’s biggest packaging companies, has announced today its plans to open its first African plant in Rabat, the Moroccan capital.

Rabat – Ireland-based Smurfit Kappa, one of Europe’s biggest packaging companies, has announced today its plans to open its first African plant in Rabat, the Moroccan capital.

Smurfit Kappa’s Spanish branch CEO, Ignacio Sevillano, and the General Manager of the company’s Moroccan branch, Mounir Naciri, attended the start of construction of the plant today.

Smurfit Kappa’s “ultra-modern” factory intends to provide innovative and sustainable packaging solutions for the Industry, agriculture, and automotive sectors in Morocco, the company said in a press release.

The factory will be 25,000 square meters and will cost MAD 374 million (€35 million). The new factory is expected to generate 300 jobs in the region of Rabat, said the press release.

Faced with a market where demand for cardboard packaging is currently greater than supply, the new plant is projected to strengthen its Moroccan customers’ supply chain. The factory is expected to start its operations in the first quarter of 2023.

Ignacio Sevillano said, “This investment is part of Smurfit Kappa’s ‘think global, act local’ approach which combines our global integrated model, expertise and wealth of data with the best insights from our local team to understand and meet the needs of Moroccan customers.”

Sevillano’s Moroccan counterpart, Mounir Naciri, said that the new factory aims to “contribute to the growth of Smurfit Kappa’s customer base and meet their packaging demands more quickly.”

Smurfit Kappa is a multinational that operates 355 factories in 36 countries around the world. Founded in December 2005, the paper packaging company currently has over 48,000 employees. The company had a net income of MAD 7.26 billion (€679 million) in 2021.

Morocco has long attracted foreign investors due to its prized geographical position and its political stability compared to its regional neighbors. A new Adient Automotive Seating factory just opened up in Kenitra on May 11.