Moroccan airliner, EADS Sogerma services to create overhaul center in marrakech

Moroccan airliner RAM and EADS Sogerma Services, one of the world leaders in commercial and military aircraft maintenance, signed here on Thursday a convention for the opening, as of November 2004, of a regional aircraft overhaul center in Marrakech.

The project is part the Kingdom's tourism development program and comes to meet the growing demand for aircraft maintenance services by because of Moroccan and foreign companies, said Mohamed Berrada, RAM executive officer.

The new joint venture will enable the Moroccan air company to consolidate its industrial role and technical capacities and keep abreast with the swift development of its activities in Marrakech.

For his part, chairman of EADS Sogerma Services, Yves Richard, noted that this partnership is an asset to his group which is already present in Casablanca with its offshoot Maroc Aviation that is more specialized in military craft maintenance and integration of Airbus subassembly.

Joining the two companies' expertise, skills and networks for the regional center in Marrakesh will make it possible to extend cost-effective maintenance services, said the chairman of the France-based company.