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Rabat – Spirit AeroSystems, an international manufacturer of civil and military-grade aircraft parts, is celebrating the launch of the first production line for its Airbus aircraft model A220 today in Casablanca.
The new production line is part of the newly inaugurated 25,000 square meter factory extension in Casablanca.
The Casablanca factory has only recently started manufacturing the front and rear sections of the Airbus A220 aircraft. It currently manufactures components for Bombardier business jets.
After producing the Airbus parts in the Casablanca factory, the parts are then shipped to Spirit’s Belfast site in Northern Ireland for assembly. Both sites were acquired by Spirit in 2020 as part of a major diversification strategy to strengthen its global market footprint.
Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, was present at the occasion and said he was proud to “celebrate the rapid growth of this site, whose construction work was launched by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in September 2013 in Midparc industrial zone in Casablanca.”
“This state-of-the-art factory, specializing in the manufacture of aeronautical parts and structures, has established itself as one of the flagships of the aeronautical industry in Morocco,” the minister added.
Mezzour further explained that “Spirit’s new program to produce the largest aircraft parts of the Airbus A220 in Africa in its Casablanca site further strengthens Morocco’s position as a go-to manufacturing destination for the aeronautic sector.” The minister also pointed out that Morocco’s “partnership with Spirit will continue its path with as much enthusiasm and could eventually open up to other opportunities.”
As another keynote speaker of the celebrations, the Vice-President and General Manager of Spirit AeroSystems in Morocco Stephen Orr explained that the group has developed an ambitious strategy to accelerate the growth of the site with the support of the Ministry of Industry, and he expressed the group’s excitement concerning the expansion of the Casablanca’s site’s manufacturing capacity.
“We look forward to working with the Spirit team in Belfast, who also supply the integrated wing for the A220 aircraft, and to building a strong and rewarding relationship with Airbus,” Orr said.
For his part, President of Airbus in Africa and the Middle East Mikail Houari noted that Morocco already manufactures parts for all Airbus commercial aircraft, including the A220. “This device is the latest addition to our product line and therefore to our industrial footprint in Morocco,” he stated.
“Today, we celebrate a new milestone in our relationship with Morocco and Spirit AeroSystems, and we look forward to continuing to build a robust and sustainable aeronautics industry together,” Hourari added.
Read Also: Morocco’s Aerospace Exports Grow by 21.9% in 2021
