Boeing, Royal Air Maroc and Labinal set up joint venture
Morocco-USA, Business, 6/22/2001

Boeing Company, Moroccan carrier Royal Air Maroc and French Labinal Snecma Group announced on Thursday at French Le Bourget aeronautic exhibition they are forming a joint venture in Morocco to manufacture wire bundles.

The new joint venture will manufacture general-purpose wire bundles and supply the parts to Boeing Commercial Airplanes and to Labinal Snecma Group beginning in the first quarter of 2002.

Operating as MATIS (Morocco Aero-Technical Interconnect Systems) Aerospace, the new company will build an 11,150 square meters manufacturing facility near Royal Air Maroc's technical base in Casablanca.

The annual value of the joint venture's wire bundle work for Boeing and Labinal is estimated at $40 million.

"MATIS Aerospace underscores our vision of a global enterprise for aerospace leadership," said Alan Mulally, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "We are delighted to have a presence in Morocco and to create a new endeavor with a premier customer and a leading supplier."

According to Royal Air Maroc Chairman and CEO Mohamed Hassad, MATIS Aerospace becomes a key example of positive economic development for the country, supporting King Mohammed VI's efforts to stimulate the creation of high-tech industries.

"MATIS Aerospace puts Morocco on the world's aerospace map," Hassad said. "It is a matter of great satisfaction to contribute to generating up to 450 new jobs in the high-tech aerospace arena in Morocco."

Jean-Paul Bechat, chairman and chief executive officer of Snecma, added: "MATIS Aerospace reinforces the already strong links Snecma has on one side with Boeing in the engine, equipment and wiring businesses, and on the other side with Royal Air Maroc in the engine services market. It is also a further step in the worldwide growth of the wiring capabilities of Labinal."

General-purpose wire bundles perform a variety of electrical functions and are installed directly into various sections of airplanes. Depending on its size, each Boeing airplane includes some 64.4 to 274 kilometers of wiring. MATIS Aerospace initially will supply wire bundles for the Boeing 737, 747, 757, 767 and 777 airplanes and various Labinal products. Future prospects could include serving as an after-market wire-bundle supplier to the world's airlines and other aerospace subcontracting work.

MATIS Aerospace will augment present wire-bundle production performed within Boeing and by Labinal, a Boeing supplier since 1998. Each of the three partner companies will own a third of the joint venture.

Royal Air Maroc, based in Casablanca, operates scheduled domestic and international flights to destinations in Africa, the Middle East, Europe and North America. RAM's modern and growing fleet totals 30 airplanes, including 24 Boeing 737s, nine of which are Next-Generation 737s. RAM is acquiring 20 more new Next-Generation 737s.

Previous Stories:
  Jorf lasfar power plant, a great success, US corp. says   (6/14/2001)
  Moroccan air company signs contract for purchase of 20 boeing aircraft   (3/24/2001)
  Moroccan holding chief promotes in USA bourse-listed shares   (3/12/2001)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search