Safran has confirmed that construction of a new MRO shop for LEAP engines and a new LEAP-1A assembly line in Casablanca, Morocco has begun.
The manufacturer has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Moroccan government to supply “most” of its facilities in the country with renewable energy.
The MRO shop, which will be located in the Casablanca airport zone, will support the “rapidly increasing” demand for CFM International LEAP engines, the company said.
These engines power the majority of new-generation narrowbody commercial jets — particularly the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX.
The shop will cover a ground area of 25,000 sqm and will be able to handle 150 engines a year.
Operations are expected to begin in 2027 and is expected to create 600 new jobs by 2030. The new facility represents an investment of around €120 million, Safran added.
The new assembly line for LEAP-1A engines, which will be dedicated to Airbus aircraft, will complement Safran’s Villaroche site in France.
It will support the planned ramp-up in production of CFM International to around 2,500 LEAP engines a year from 2028 onwards.
Located on a 13,000 sqm site, the Casablanca assembly line will be operational by the end of 2027 and will have the capacity to assemble up to 350 engines per year.
Safran will invest €200 million in the facility, which is expected to create 300 jobs.
In addition, Safran also signed an MoU that guarantees access to renewable energy for most of its facilities in Morocco, taking effect in 2026.
This aligns with the company’s push to reduce carbon emissions from its operations by 50% by 2030, compared with 2018 levels.
Finally, Safran is also bolstering its presence in Morocco through the expansion of three existing sites: Safran Aerosystems, Tiflet; Safran Electronics & Defense, Casablanca; and Safran Electrical & Power, Ain Atiq.
These newly-expanded facilities will begin operations between 2026 and 2027.
In total, to support both the new and expanded sites, Safran plans to recruit 2,000 new staff over the next two years.