In a significant move to support the booming global air travel market, aerospace leader Safran has announced a major expansion of its industrial footprint in Morocco. The cornerstone of this expansion is a new Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility for LEAP engines, launched at a ceremony attended by His Majesty King Mohammed VI and Safran’s top executives.
The new Safran Aircraft Engine Services Casablanca MRO shop, established following an agreement during the French President’s recent state visit, will be strategically located in the Casablanca airport zone. Its primary role will be to meet the surging global demand for CFM International LEAP engines, which power the workhorse Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX families. The 25,000-square-meter facility is slated to begin operations in 2027, with a capacity to service 150 engines annually and create approximately 600 new jobs by 2030. The project represents an investment of around 120 million euros.
Simultaneously, Safran revealed it has selected Morocco as the location for a brand-new assembly line for the LEAP-1A engine variant used on Airbus aircraft. This 13,000-square-meter plant, expected to be operational by the end of 2027, will complement production at Safran’s French site in Villaroche. With a planned capacity of up to 350 engines per year, it will support CFM International’s goal of producing 2,500 LEAP engines annually from 2028. This second new facility involves a 200-million-euro investment and will generate 300 jobs.
This dedicated industrial complex for next-generation engines will be supported by a shared test bench for both newly assembled and overhauled LEAP engines. In a commitment to sustainability, Safran also signed a Memorandum of Understanding to power most of its Moroccan operations with renewable energy starting in 2026.
Beyond these two flagship projects, Safran is expanding three existing sites in Tiflet, Casablanca, and Ain Atiq, which will become operational between 2026 and 2027. In total, Safran is investing over 350 million euros in these new and expanded facilities and plans to recruit more than 2,000 people in Morocco over the next five years.
Safran CEO Olivier Andriès expressed gratitude to the Moroccan government, stating that these projects underscore the group’s “strong commitment to developing the Moroccan aerospace industry and boosting the local economy.” Having been present in Morocco for 26 years with a workforce of over 4,800, Safran continues to lead and deepen its roots in the country’s thriving aerospace sector.
