Thanks to the City of Careers and Skills East Region attracts investment for Kenitra

Economy of the East

In a remarkable development that reflects the strength of the Eastern Province's industrial attractiveness, the Eastern Province has succeeded in attracting a giant rubber tire production project that was originally destined for Kenitra. The Chinese giant Shandong Yongsheng Rubber Group has chosen to build its Moroccan factory in the Batouya Free Zone in El Dreyouche, near the western Mediterranean port of Nador, in a move that confirms the growing status of the Eastern Province as a promising industrial hub.

Immediately after the Chinese group announced its willingness to invest in Morocco, the Kenitra Automotive City bid seemed the most likely option to host this project, but the group received another proposal for an area near the port of Nador West Mid, bringing the East Region bid into the competition.

The decisive role played by Al Sharq Careers and Skills City in the investment decision cannot be overlooked. Delegations from the Chinese group made two consecutive visits in January and February to the center, in order to assess the training programs available and determine the region's ability to provide qualified human resources. This intense interest in Nador's training infrastructure resulted in a strategic shift, with the Chinese company favoring the eastern region over Kenitra, which had been the initial choice.

Spread over an area of 12 hectares in Nador, the City of Professions and Competencies in the East provides an exceptional environment for learning and developing competencies in diverse and high-value-added fields of specialization. The city proposes a training offer centered around 10 professional poles, with 75 disciplines, including 581 newly created and 421 updated TP3Ts, ensuring that training is adapted to the needs of the local economic fabric and major industrial projects.

The Chinese delegations that visited the City of Trades and Skills included representatives from Shandong Yongsheng Group and their engineering office, as well as members of the Regional Investment Center in Nador, who collectively assessed how well the region's talent pool matched the technical requirements for operating a rubber tire factory. The result was clear: Nador has all the necessary ingredients to accommodate a project of this magnitude.

Yongsheng Roper emphasized that “the choice of the Orient was based on its privileged geographical location: ”The proximity to the western Mediterranean port of Nador provides a location that guarantees direct access to European, African and American markets.“ The company sees this location as ”a crucial lever to speed up deliveries and increase its competitiveness in global markets.“