Benteler begins construction of its new automotive plant in Morocco

The German supplier Benteler has begun construction of its new automotive plant in Kenitra, a coastal city in Morocco located in the Rabat-Salé region.

The start of construction was marked by an official groundbreaking ceremony attended by various representatives of the automotive company and Moroccan authorities, including the Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour.

The German company plans to invest 38 million euros in this project, with the start of production at the new automotive plant scheduled for 2026.

This is a further economic boost for Morocco, which has been committed to attracting foreign investment for many years in order to promote its industrial fabric and encourage trade. In the case of the Benteler Group and its new automotive plant, around 300 jobs are expected to be created, which will greatly boost the economy of the Kenitra area.

Benteler is a family-owned company that operates internationally for customers in the automotive, energy and machine building sectors. As a specialist in metal processing, it develops, produces and distributes safety-related products, systems and services worldwide.

Now, this company based in Germany, with offices in other countries such as Spain, is seeking to establish itself in the Kingdom of Morocco, which offers great opportunities for investment and business generation for all national and foreign companies interested in creating business and wealth, thanks to the promotion of the New Investment Charter sponsored by the Moroccan State, which promotes investment through beneficial measures such as significant tax exemptions, facilitation of administrative procedures, economic injections, etc.

The new Benteler plant will be built in Kenitra to supply Stellantis, a multinational group of companies in the automotive industry.

The German group will also benefit from the large, young and skilled workforce available in Morocco after deciding to set up in Kenitra. ‘Here we find a strong industrial vision, an optimised infrastructure and a motivated and talented workforce,’ said Matthias Siemer, European president of the supplier Benteler.

For his part, Ryad Mezzour, Moroccan Minister of Industry and Trade, expressed his satisfaction and delight at the establishment of a new business in Morocco: ‘We welcome Benteler's decision to invest in our country and create hundreds of new jobs in Kenitra.’

Morocco thus continues to focus on developing its industrial fabric, in this particular case the automotive industry, in which the Moroccan kingdom is establishing itself as a major player in Africa. ‘This confirms Morocco's rise as an important industrial and technological platform and highlights the growing attractiveness of the Moroccan kingdom for major players in global industry,’ explained Ryad Mezzour.

‘We are looking forward to opening our new plant in Kenitra and thus expanding our global presence. Morocco offers us significant location advantages. It is a modern country with a strong automotive industry, and the country's geography and infrastructure also allow us to optimise logistics,’ added Matthias Siemer.

The company is constructing a building of around 17,000 square metres on the allocated site of approximately 50,000 square metres, which has direct access to the motorway and good connections to the important port of Tangier in northern Morocco. ‘In line with our ‘local for locals’ approach, we will produce as close as possible to our customers to ensure flexible and reliable delivery,’ said the Benteler manager.