Oct 22, 2016: Canadian multinational aerospace and transportation company Bombardier is set to invest in a rail industry cluster in Morocco that will serve as a hub for boosting exports to the African market, according to recent news reports.

The announcement was made by the chairman of the Moroccan branch of Bombardier Transport, Taoufiq Boussaid, who stressed the need of the new investment which will be in tandem with the transport growth in several African countries.

“The African continent needs to meet considerable challenges relating to transport in order to support its urban growth and facilitate the development of key cities,” Boussaid explained at a meeting in Casablanca.

“Morocco is the logical choice to launch our Africa’s strategic industrial platform,” he said.

This cluster will have positive impact on the local ecosystem and will help support the group’s European units.

This new investment by Bombardier Transport will help create jobs and reinforce the capacities of the local employees through training and the transfer of technology which is conducive for attracting more investments in the field of the rail industry, said Boussaid.

“Ultimately, Bombardier’s ambition is to reach 40,000 square meters of industrial units, the creation of an engineering center in Casablanca, the creation of 600 direct jobs and technology transfer in this sector,” Boussaid went on to say.

Bombardier Transport Morocco has been based in Casablanca since 2011, the date when the company won a contract to renew 14 electric trains of the national rail company (ONCF) linking Rabat to Casablanca.

Besides rail industry, Bombardier began in September 2013 operating an aeronautic plant located in the Nouaceur free zone near Casablanca’s airport employing 300 people.

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