French aerospace and industrial group Daher is preparing to transfer part of its Airbus-related manufacturing activities from its facility in Tarbes, southwestern France, to Morocco, in a move that further strengthens the Kingdom’s position within global aerospace supply chains and highlights its growing appeal to major international manufacturers.
According to French sources, the operation forms part of an internal restructuring program known as “Edge,” through which Daher aims to improve its industrial competitiveness by reallocating part of its production to more cost-efficient locations, notably its site in Tangier.
The planned transfer involves the manufacturing and assembly of components used in several Airbus aircraft programs, including the A320, A330, and A350. Part of the production currently carried out in Tarbes will gradually be redirected to Morocco, while some activities will also be outsourced to subcontractors in lower-cost countries.
Daher has indicated that the objective is not to reduce operations at its Tarbes facility, but rather to ease pressure on a site facing a heavy workload and reorient some of its industrial capacity toward future defense programs and the next-generation aircraft expected to succeed the Airbus A320.
The decision comes amid a broader trend that has seen Morocco attract an increasing number of aerospace investments linked to Airbus production and supply chains. Over the past few years, the Kingdom has emerged as a key destination for manufacturers seeking to diversify and optimize their industrial footprint while remaining close to European markets.
Among the most significant recent projects is the expansion of French aerospace giant Safran, which launched construction of a major aircraft landing systems facility in Nouaceur earlier this year. The plant, dedicated primarily to Airbus A320 programs, represents an investment of more than €280 million.
Presented before King Mohammed VI in February 2026, the project is expected to become one of Safran’s largest landing gear manufacturing hubs worldwide, creating around 500 direct jobs while operating entirely on carbon-free energy.
Safran executives have stressed that the Moroccan facility will play a strategic role not only in supporting current Airbus production rates but also in preparing for future generations of short- and medium-haul aircraft.
Morocco’s aerospace momentum is not limited to French investments. In 2025, German group Masterflex announced plans to establish a new manufacturing facility in the MIDPARC aerospace zone near Casablanca to produce specialized hoses and rubber components for the aviation industry.
The company cited Morocco’s favorable business environment, skilled workforce, proximity to Europe, quality standards, and competitive production costs among the key factors behind its decision.
American aerospace companies have also expanded their presence in the Kingdom. In 2024, a consortium of US firms selected Morocco as the location for a specialized industrial platform dedicated to converting Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft into freighters in Casablanca, with a projected capacity of up to eight aircraft per year.
Likewise, US manufacturer Pratt & Whitney chose Morocco to establish a subsidiary focused on producing structural and mechanical components for aircraft engines, underscoring the country’s growing role as a regional aerospace hub.
This industrial expansion is taking place alongside the rapid growth of Morocco’s aviation sector as a whole. In April, Transport and Logistics Minister Abdessamad Kayouh revealed that the Kingdom’s aerospace industry now includes around 150 companies employing more than 25,000 people directly.
According to the minister, the sector generates an annual turnover of approximately MAD 26 billion, reflecting Morocco’s increasing integration into global aerospace value chains and its ambitions to become a leading aviation and aerospace platform for Africa and the Mediterranean region.
