Just.auto.com
Simon Warburton
Gestamp has inked a joint venture with components manufacturer, Tuyauto, marking the Spanish supplier’s first entry into Africa.
The two partners will start construction of a greenfield plant in the town of Kenitra, around 50km kilometres from Rabat, next to the plant PSA is building.
The new Gestamp facility is expected to start operations in 2019 with 120 employees. Initially it will be dedicated to the assembly of body-in-white parts and small stamping.
Morocco will add a new country to Gestamp’s global footprint following Romania, where the company acquired a plant in 2017. The company is present in 21 markets globally and Gestamp will add Japan as another new market this year.
“Morocco in particular and Africa as a whole are emerging markets with great growth potential in vehicle manufacturing,” said Gestamp executive chairman, Francisco Riberas. “Gestamp continues to make progress in its strategy of being close to its clients.”
“Morocco is a promising country in the automotive industry and Gestamp is very pleased to be able to offer its clients in the region the capabilities it has already implemented in other regions of the world.”
Tuyauto is a Moroccan company specialising in parts such as exhaust systems and heat shielding. Founded in 1960, Tuyauto distributes its products both to automotive suppliers and manufacturers.
Tuyauto has two production plants in Morocco, one in Casablanca focused on exhaust and heat shielding systems, coupled with another factory in Mohammedia, between Casablanca and Rabat, which serves as a tool and die maker.
