Safran, parent company of CFM International, has begun work on a new LEAP engine maintenance and assembly hub in Morocco. The launch ceremony took place in Casablanca and was attended by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Safran Chairman Ross McInnes and CEO Olivier Andriès.
The new Safran Aircraft Engine Services Casablanca facility was first announced in October 2024, during French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Rabat. It will be built inside the Casablanca airport zone. The project meets the fast-growing demand for CFM International’s LEAP engines, which power the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX.
The site will cover 25,000 m² and handle up to 150 engines each year. Construction will cost around €120 million. Operations should start in 2027, and about 600 new jobs will be created by 2030. Therefore, the facility will strengthen Morocco’s role in global aviation and boost local industry.
Moreover, Safran announced a new LEAP-1A engine assembly line, also based in Morocco. It will serve Airbus aircraft and complement the company’s Villaroche site in France. This line will help meet CFM’s goal of producing 2,500 LEAP engines per year by 2028. The new plant will open by the end of 2027. It will sit on a 13,000 square-metre site, employ 300 people, and assemble up to 350 engines a year.
Together, the MRO and assembly plants will form a modern complex for new-generation engines. A shared test bench will check both new and overhauled LEAP engines, improving efficiency and reliability.
In addition, Safran signed a memorandum of understanding to secure renewable energy for most of its Moroccan sites. This deal, effective from 2026, supports Safran’s plan to cut its carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, compared with 2018 levels.
Step by step, Safran is building a sustainable future for aviation. With major investment and green energy, Morocco is becoming a key player in the next generation of aircraft technology.
