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Thursday, March 21, 2013

■ MOROCCO: Bombardier to participate at World Investment Conference in Marrakech.

BombardierBombardier Aerospace, the Canadian aircraft and train manufacturer based in Montréal, has announced its participation in the first ever North African edition of the World Investment Conference, which runs from March 20 to 22, 2013 in Marrakech, Morocco. During the Global Leaders' Panel for Automotive and Aeronautics Industries, Ms. Souad Elmallem, Bombardier's Chief Country Representative for North Africa, will discuss the attractiveness of the North African market for foreign direct investment with other international industry leaders.

Bombardier Africa is a market with great potential for Bombardier on several levels,” said Ms. Elmallem. “Bombardier’s investment in Morocco reflects our long-term engagement with the Moroccan government and will serve as a springboard for the Company’s activities and presence in North Africa.”
Over the next 20 years, it is predicted that Africa will be among the global leaders in annual economic growth rates, which will drive increases in both business and commercial aviation activity. With its portfolio of industry leading aircraft, Bombardier is well positioned to capture a significant share of Africa’s demand for new aircraft.

Bombardier recently began production of simple aircraft structures at a transitional facility near Casablanca, employing 18 local graduates of the Institut des Métiers de l’Aéronautique (IMA). 

Plans are well underway for the construction of Bombardier’s own facility in Morocco, which is expected to include a workforce of approximately 850 people by 2020.