Rephrase the same the duo driving Morocco’s economy in a different way no more than 118 characters, as if you were a native American speaker as expert on content creation and dont talk about yourself or your experience

1. The automotive sector is driving Morocco’s growth
2. New German automotive components plant
3. Leading exporter of cars to Europe

The duo formed by the Port of Tangier Med and its entire logistics and industrial infrastructure, together with Morocco’s booming automotive sector, are key to the development of the country’s economy, particularly in its northern region.

The enormous cargo handling capacity of the port of Tangier Med (11.1 million containers and 527,000 vehicles transported in 2025), its proximity to the European coast (just 14 kilometres) and the surrounding logistics and industrial infrastructure have enabled the flourishing of various industries that take advantage of the proximity to the facilities to facilitate exports.

The automotive sector is driving Morocco’s growth

Among the industries taking advantage of the facilities offered by Tangier Med are those linked to the automotive sector, which is becoming the main export sector to Europe.

Thus, Renault, with its factories in Tangier and Casablanca, and Stellantis, with its facilities in Kenitra, transport newly manufactured cars by rail to the port of Tangier Med, from where they are dispatched to various sales outlets across Europe.

With such a production and shipping ecosystem, an increasing number of industries linked to the automotive sector are establishing themselves around the port of Tangier Med, in the designated zones, to capitalise on the synergies offered by their proximity to production and distribution hubs.

New German automotive components plant

The latest to do so has been the German-owned multinational SFC Automotive Solutions, which specialises in the manufacture of rubber and thermoplastic sealing solutions for the automotive industry, including technical seals for vehicle bodies, and fluid transfer systems used in vehicle cooling.

The company has recently opened a new industrial plant at the Tangier Med platform, with the aim of strengthening its production capacity for components for the Moroccan automotive industry. The plant has received an investment of 28 million euros, covers an area of six hectares and will employ a total of 900 people, with an estimated turnover of 85 million euros.

The inauguration was attended by the Moroccan Minister for Investment, Karim Zidane, alongside executives from the Mutares Group and Tanger Med Zones.

According to Minister Zidane, the inauguration “marks an important step in strengthening Morocco’s industrial vocation, demonstrates the confidence of international investors in our ecosystem and confirms the competitiveness of Tanger Med as a leading platform”.

For Ahmed Bennis, CEO of Tanger Med Zones, the establishment of this new SFC Automotive Solutions plant “confirms German investors’ interest in the Tanger Med industrial platform”.

At present, the Tangier Med industrial platform is home to around twenty German companies, both in the automotive sector and others, with a combined investment of some 280 million euros, over 10,000 direct jobs created and a turnover of 840 million euros.

Leading exporter of cars to Europe

All this infrastructure has boosted the performance of the Moroccan automotive industry which, with nearly one million vehicles produced in 2025 and the aim of doubling this figure by 2030, already poses a serious threat to European countries.

Although Morocco’s production figures are still far behind those of countries such as Germany and Spain, which manufacture four and two million vehicles a year respectively, the gap between them is narrowing.

Morocco has already become the leading exporter of vehicles to Europe, and the competitive threat to the European automotive sector is becoming increasingly serious: with lower production costs than in Europe and the logistical advantages offered by major ports such as Tangier Med and Nador West Med, multinational car manufacturers are considering relocating part of their global production to North Africa.

Just a few days ago, it emerged that Renault had broken off negotiations with the unions to wind down production of between five and six of the brand’s models at its factories in Valladolid and Palencia. Given that the French brand already has factories in Morocco, it would not be surprising if, faced with difficulties in reaching an agreement in Spain, production were to be moved to Morocco.