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Marrakech – French mobility giant Alstom announced Monday a strategic investment of MAD 100 million ($10 million) to expand its industrial operations in Morocco. The investment centers on establishing the world’s first dedicated production line for multi-platform train driver desks.
The new facility positions Morocco as an international reference point in the railway industrial value chain. Driver desks manufactured at the Moroccan site will supply Alstom projects worldwide, according to company officials.
“Seeing this first global production line established within our AMECA region is a strong signal of the industrial momentum we are building,” said Martin Vaujour, President of Alstom Africa, Middle East, and Central Asia.
“The driver desks manufactured here will equip projects across the world, demonstrating our region’s capacity to deliver strategic industrial solutions for the Group.”
The expansion will create a development and engineering office to strengthen local expertise and support innovation activities. The initiative forms part of a broader industrial development plan that includes doubling transformer production capacity.
Alstom expects the project to generate over 200 direct jobs, reinforcing Morocco’s railway industrial ecosystem. “This initiative is part of a wider plan that will sustainably reinforce our production and engineering capabilities across the AMECA region,” Vaujour added.
Mehdi Sahel, Managing Director of Alstom Morocco, said the expansion represents a defining step forward. “The doubling of our Mitrac capacity and the opening of an engineering office represent a major milestone for the Moroccan industrial ecosystem,” he stated.
“These developments complement the establishment of the driver desk production line and further reinforce Morocco’s contribution to the global railway value chain.”
Alstom currently employs more than 1,400 people in Morocco across its operations. The company has delivered 270 Citadis trams for Rabat and Casablanca, 12 Avelia Euroduplex trains for the Tangier-Casablanca high-speed line, and 77 Prima locomotives to Moroccan railways.
Since 2020, Alstom has invested nearly MAD 200 million ($20 million), creating an industrial site in Fez and launching Morocco’s first transformer production line. These investments established the foundation for the current industrial ecosystem expansion.
A century-long presence in Morocco
The announcement follows Alstom’s confirmation in March of a €781 million ($818 million) contract to supply 18 Avelia Horizon high-speed trains to Morocco’s national rail operator ONCF. The deal, financed through a French Treasury loan, will deliver double-decker trains capable of exceeding 300 km/h by 2030.
The new trains will operate on the extended high-speed line connecting Tangier to Marrakech, building upon the existing Tangier-Casablanca route. Each train accommodates 640 passengers and delivery coincides with Morocco’s co-hosting of the FIFA World Cup.
“The extension of the high-speed line to Marrakech will enhance connectivity for travelers,” Alstom stated in the announcement. “Alstom’s new double-decker Avelia Horizon trains will significantly reduce travel time between Tangier and Marrakech while minimizing the carbon footprint.”
Alstom’s selection over competitors CAF, Talgo, and Hyundai Rotem was influenced by the Avelia Horizon’s double-deck design advantage. The company’s century-long presence in the North African kingdom played a crucial role in securing the contract.
French Ambassador to Morocco Christophe Lecourtier previously described the financing as “an exceptional amount” that “consecrates the remarkable Franco-Moroccan partnership in railways.” He noted the success of the high-speed line between Tangier and Kenitra, which transported nearly 5 million passengers in 2024.
The March order builds upon France’s previous investment in Morocco’s rail infrastructure, including 51% financing for the country’s first high-speed line inaugurated in 2018. That project was valued at €2 billion ($2.1 billion).
In September, Alstom secured another €260 million ($272 million) contract to modernize the Kenitra-Settat railway line. Alstom’s €150 million ($157 million) share covers signaling, telecommunications, and power systems to increase safety and capacity on the route.
Alstom, listed in France, generated sales of €18.5 billion ($19.4 billion) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. The company operates in 63 countries with over 86,000 employees from 184 nationalities, offering transportation solutions from high-speed trains to turnkey systems and digital mobility services.
