23008_Nearshoring Report

Apparel and textiles manufacturing is also a key export industry for Morocco and for its European partners. Almost three quarters of the clothing products exported from Morocco are destined for Spain, with another 13% going to France. Key retailers sourcing products from suppliers in Morocco include fashion giants Inditex and Mango, both of which manage the distribution of their products from their home country of Spain; Inditex alone works with over 170 suppliers operating over 350 factories in Morocco. Others international companies either sourcing product from or locating their own facilities in Morocco include Fruit of the Loom and Decathalon. Key areas for the location of factories producing garments for export are around Tangier, Casablanca and Rabat and Fes.

In terms of key transport gateways and corridors to and from Morocco, given the proximity of Morocco across the Straits of Gibraltar, shipping is the most appropriate means of transporting goods to Europe, particularly as 42% of goods exported by Morocco to European countries are to Spain and France. The Port of Tanger-Med (comprising four terminals and capacity for handling up to 9 million TEUs a year) is the largest port in Africa, one of the largest in the Mediterranean and a key gateway for movements of goods out of Morocco. The Port of Casablanca also has capacity for 1.6 million TEU at its three terminals as well as bulk products such as cereals, wood and iron.

In terms of gateways into Europe from Morocco, key seaports in Spain and France act as the main conduits of goods into Europe. Key routes for containerised goods from Morocco focus on Mediterranean ports in Spain (including Valencia, Barcelona, Algeciras and Malaga) and in France (including Marseille). The Ports of Barcelona and Valencia on the Mediterranean coast and the Port of Figo on the Atlantic coast (and part of the Tanger-Vigo-Nantes-St Nazaire ‘Motorway of the Sea’) are key handling locations for vehicles being imported from Morocco, especially as major automotive producers with facilities in Morocco – including Renault and Stellantis – have significant facilities near and at these ports.

Foreign electrical machinery and equipment manufacturers have invested in facilities in Morocco over the past several decades with recent expansions announced. Dutch electronics and semiconductor manufacturer STMicroelectronics operates an automated production and distribution facility of more than 40,000 sqm in Bouskoura, near Casablanca and expanded the facility in 2022 to include a new production line for electric car parts. French electronic component manufacturer Eolane operates two facilities in Berachid, near Casablanca and Temara, near Rabat, totalling more than 10,000 sqm, where the company makes and builds printed circuit boards, a key component in most electronic devices. Key areas for the location of facilities centres around Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Kenitra and Meknes.

US manufacturer Lear Corporation, which specialises in making seats, electric components and electronic systems for vehicles and opened a new 54,000 sqm plant in Meknes in October 2022. Lear operates other facilities in Tangier, Rabat and Kenitra as well as an engineering centre in Rabat and employs over 18,000 people in Morocco, making it a significant part of the growing automotive production ecosystem in Morocco. LEAR CORPORATION

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