Industrial exports from the entire Tanger Med industrial platform exceeded 40 billion dirhams (MAD) in 2014, an increase of 40% compared to 2013, according to figures from the Tangier Free Zone (TFZ) reported in a statement relayed by the MAP.

Thus, in terms of associated logistical flows, TFZ reports an increase of nearly 20% in 2014 compared to a year earlier, settling at nearly 160,000 operations across all zones of the Tanger Med industrial platform.

This progression was mainly driven by the evolution of the activity of four sectors that constitute the foundation of this industrial platform, namely automotive, electronics, aeronautics, and textiles.

The year 2014 was also marked by the installation of new industrial units on the Tanger Med industrial platform, which required private investments of 800 million dirhams (MAD) and generated the creation of 2,000 new jobs.

In the automotive sector, a dozen new industrial projects were concretised in the fields of plastic injection, connectivity, and interior coatings, representing notably the United States (TE Connectivity), Spain (Pont Aurell), Tunisia (One Tech), and Italy (Sigit), the same source explains.

Regarding the textile sector, an innovative digital printing project meeting the need for securing the upstream was carried out in 2014 for an investment of nearly 100 million dirhams, the result of a joint venture with the Spanish group Santanderina.

At the same time, extensions of existing units were carried out in 2014 by automotive equipment manufacturers, such as Antolin and Standard Profil, as well as those in aeronautics, namely Atch and Trial Atlas, the statement adds, noting that this year was also marked by the confirmation of the first Indian investment by the Sumilon group, specialising in the manufacture of industrial resin, for nearly 300 million dirhams, in addition to the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the SSG group regarding the first Chinese investment, focusing on steel processing, for an amount of 150 million dollars.

Regarding the prospects for 2015, the consolidation of the automotive sector requires the installation of new industrial projects focusing on the aspects of manufacturer sourcing and diversification that brings new trades, and this taking into account the growing strengthening of synergies between complementary tier equipment manufacturers.

At the same time, and with a view to better integration of local subcontracting, the new Tétouan Park zone, primarily targeting local SMEs/SMIs, is now open for operation to accommodate nearly thirty new industrial projects starting from the second half of 2015.