Casablanca, Morocco, March 15, 2023 - Hutchinson unveils an expansion to its production site specialized in the manufacture of composite aerospace parts and cabin insulation solutions, alongside Mr. Ryad Mezzour, Minister of Industry & Trade of the Kingdom of Morocco, Hélène Moreau-Leroy, Chairman and CEO of Hutchinson, and Philippe Olivier, Senior EVP, Aerospace, Defense & Industry.
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A new 4.0 workshop dedicated to the manufacture of composite parts and insulation solutions for the aerospace industry
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A €12 million industrial investment in the Aerospace ecosystem in Morocco, 30% of it financed by the Kingdom of Morocco
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400 additional jobs created, including 50 positions for young engineers
This 18,700 sq. m addition, dedicated to the manufacture of composite equipment and insulation blankets, will support the growth of aerospace activities in Morocco and consolidate Hutchinson's production capacity for the Boeing B787/B777 and Airbus A330/A220 programs, starting in 2023.
The site is qualified to the latest standards of the largest aeronautical contractors, with state-of-the-art equipment allowing it manufacture highly critical structural composite parts, as well as a wide variety of insulation systems that are among the most effective in the world. Heavy investments include:
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three latest generation autoclaves
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a clean room
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several large numerical control machines
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an automated storage tower
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a 3D scanner to digitally model the manufactured parts to ensure their geometric conformity.
The site boasts an array of manufacturing 4.0 technologies, with more than 150 touch screens installed to digitalize processes, monitor production performance indicators in real time, and offer a system of digital tutors at the workstations to assist employees during the various stages of production using video recordings.
This 4.0 site is up to the latest standards in terms of workstation ergonomics and takes an eco-friendly approach, with optimization tools that reduce material waste rates by 10% and recycle 80% of the remaining waste. The building’s electricity consumption will be carefully controlled using IOT technologies installed on most of the machines, which are directly viewable by the teams.
Helene Moreau-Leroy, Chairman and CEO of Hutchinson, said: "The expansion of our site in Casablanca reaffirms our desire to establish a long-term presence in Morocco. We know that we can rely on a solid network of skills and excellent training options thanks to the Moroccan authorities and our partnership with the Institut des métiers de l'Aéronautique (IMA). This 4.0 site is strategic for our aerospace activities, and will allow us to cater more closely to our customers' needs and expectations. It is also in line with our commitments to sustainable development.”
