Blanca Erum: "Morocco bets a lot on each and every one of the companies"

The new edition of the Doing Business event in Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima served to highlight the important attraction of this region in the north of Morocco to attract investments and all those entrepreneurs interested in doing business in the area.

The meeting was jointly organized by the Regional Investment Centre of the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region, the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Morocco-Tangier, the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Morocco in Valencia, the Council of the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region, the Morocco-Spain Economic Council (CEMAES), the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) of the Tangiers-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region, the Chamber of Commerce of Valencia, the Business Confederation of the Valencian Community-CEV, the Valencian Institute for Business Competitiveness (IVACE) and the Port Authority of Valencia.

In Valencia, there were several success stories of companies that have settled in a very positive way in the region. Atalayar had the opportunity to interview Blanca Erum, CEO of Plásticos Erum and subsidiaries and Co-CEO of the Erum Group, on the occasion of the event held in Valencia to explain her favourable experience in the Moroccan kingdom.

Mrs. Erum, how do you value the celebration of this type of events where there is an opportunity to learn more about the reality of Morocco and for Moroccans to get to know us too?

They are events that help us to get to know each other better, so that both Spanish industry and Moroccan industry get to know the possibilities of northern Morocco and, specifically, in this case, the area of Tangiers, Tetouan and Al Hoceima, and so that growth is encouraged towards this nearby industry that is generating new jobs in Morocco.

What struck you most about the meeting in Valencia?

The part on incentives for industry was very interesting, the Moroccan government is doing things very well, it has a very broad menu for the entry of new companies in order to promote small, medium and large companies; not in all places or in all countries do we have these opportunities and I think we should encourage more from Morocco these opportunities for alternative financing of different industries, especially in the area of the circular economy, renewable energy, services, infrastructure, automotive, etc. Morocco is doing very well and is very committed to each and every one of the foreign companies so that they can position themselves and so that joint ecosystems can be generated between them and the country can continue to grow.

I understand from what you have told me that the Erum Group's experience in Morocco has been positive. What has this experience been like?

We have had a great experience in Morocco. We have been marketing products in Morocco for more than 25 years and in 2003 we opened our first company, which was dedicated exclusively to the textile sector, specifically to the manufacture of accessories for garment manufacturers and manufacturers, and our star product was the hanger.

From then on, we began to diversify within the sector itself and we created several industries such as the manufacture of stretch film, boxes and packaging for the sector, industrial packaging and we started service activities, specifically reverse logistics, which is our RTS activity, which is product circularity.

We circulate product in more than 129 countries to classify and recover it and reintroduce it again and, in turn, in 2010 an initiative began to be generated by secondary and tertiary sectors and we entered the automotive sector and the packaging sector, among many others, which have been greatly boosted in recent years.

Furthermore, in terms of infrastructures and services, we have logistics centres and we are also dedicated to national and international distribution.

A wealth of experience. I understand that the facilities in terms of bureaucracy, paperwork and legal security have improved after 25 years.

Yes, it is true that Morocco makes things very easy, the government is very proactive when it comes to thinking about industry, it has very well-prepared ministers, it makes things easy when the rules are not written and they join working groups, they collaborate with each other, they talk to each other very quickly, they are very agile when it comes to making decisions and the country evolves very quickly. 

In contrast to other countries where it is much more difficult to develop business and that is why Erum has been able to make the most of its potential and has been able to develop in different branches and at the same time strengthen itself in other sectors.

We are a thousand times grateful to the government; moreover, they have supported us a lot in our growth, they have supported us in generating jobs and I think they have done very well, especially in recent years, in terms of financing and support for education. 

There are great professionals, a lot of talent in Morocco that is available to companies, such as great engineers or people who speak many languages, and that helps us to evolve.

Morocco's growth rates are much higher than those of Spain and the European Union, its debt is also much lower than those of other countries, and it has been doing very well in terms of trade agreements. Of the most important partners, the main partner is the United States. 

Morocco may be the most stable country in the EMEA region in the coming years.

What are your plans for the immediate future? I understand that, perhaps, like everyone else, influenced by the organisation of the 2030 football World Cup.

In our case, I don't know if this central theme will boost activity, but the clothing sector will grow. 

It will give us opportunities because the country will grow in terms of infrastructure in the next two years; all this always helps.

Our objective is to continue consolidating all the groups, both automotive and packaging, as well as clothing accessories, and I believe that everything will go from strength to strength.

Finally, Mrs. Erum, what would you say to a Spanish businessman who is thinking of going to Morocco?

The first thing I would tell them is that there are many organisations in Morocco that are very well prepared to offer them information and, above all, that they should go to the country and be accompanied by the best advisors; they have the IVEX, the ICEX, the Chamber of Commerce, the Trade Councils in the country itself, the Regional Investment Centre, etc. at their disposal. The most important thing for entrepreneurship is to know where you are going and if you have a piece of the pie or if you can cover some needs.

I would recommend that you travel to the country because business is not done at a distance; business is people, people are feelings and people are expectations. The first thing you have to do is to travel, get to know the country, get to know the environment and be well accompanied and advised.