TANGIER, Morocco — French company Sealynx Automotive Morocco, a subsidiary of Sealynx International, has inaugurated a new production facility here with a total investment of €22 million.

The factory specializes in the manufacturing of automotive gaskets. The new addition is spread over 12,600 square meters and comes with the ambition of providing more than 180 direct jobs.

Commenting on the inauguration, Morocco’s Minister of Trade and Industry Moulay Hafid Elalamy said that the plant comes to meet the “strong demand of the Moroccan automotive ecosystem whose performance is well established.”

Elalamy attended the inauguration ceremony along with the chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Tangier Mediterranean Special Agency, Fouad Brini, and the President of Sealynx International Alain Martineau.

Elalamy recalled the potential of Morocco’s automotive sector, emphasizing that the industry is gaining strength.

“We are aware that car manufacturers need a significant local integration rate,” says Elalamy.

Martineau said that the move confirms their pioneering role by being the first supplier of automotive gaskets in Morocco. Additionally, Sealynx benefits from the latest technologies developed by the international Sealynx waterproofing division with the expertise of the Tangiers teams.

With the new plant, Morocco is strengthening its position as an automotive leader. The automotive industry recorded the strongest job creation. The sector created 116,611 jobs, representing 28.8 percent of all new jobs between 2014 and 2018.

Several international leading companies in the industry operate in Morocco including Renault and PSA.