Safran Aircraft Engines (Safran) has signed a series of agreements with Moroccan partners ahead of the construction of its new LEAP MRO facility, set to open in 2026 near Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport.
The first agreement is a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Moroccan Aerospace Industries Association (GIMAS) which addresses the growing need for skilled engine mechanics and technicians to support Safran’s existing subsidiary, SAESM, and its future LEAP-focused MRO shop.
Starting in early 2025, GIMAS will provide specialised training for 60 to 100 technicians annually, utilising both existing infrastructure and new facilities provided by Morocco’s top training providers.
Two additional agreements concern plans for the new MRO shop in the Midparc aerospace hub (a free trade zone), located in the Casablanca airport zone. The first covers the purchase of a plot of land through MedZ, a subsidiary of Morocco’s state-owned financial institution Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion, which specialises in the development of business parks. The second involves a service contract with Midparc for the new MRO shop real estate project.
Jean-Paul Alary, chief executive of Safran, said: “We’re now in an optimal position to begin construction of our new MRO shop at the start of 2025 and launch operations around one year later. I’m delighted that we’ll be working with these foremost partners. They will ensure we benefit from the highest standards of training, infrastructure and low-carbon performance.”
Safran claims that once complete the new MRO shop will employ more than 600 people, and will have the capacity to handle 150 engines per year, allowing it to meet fast-growing demand for LEAP shop visits, especially from airlines based in Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
Additionally, the new facility is hoped to expand Safran’s industrial footprint in Morocco, where the group has been present for a quarter of a century.
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