Airbus, the European aerospace giant, has officially completed the takeover of Spirit AeroSystems’ industrial assets dedicated to its commercial aircraft programs, including the Casablanca plant in Morocco, the company announced on Tuesday.
In a statement published on its official website, Airbus confirmed that the Casablanca facility—previously operated by Spirit AeroSystems and specialized in manufacturing components for the A321 and A220 aircraft—now falls fully under its ownership. The site has been renamed “Airbus Atlantic Maroc Aero”, becoming one of the key industrial assets integrated into the complete acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems’ operations.
Florent Massou, Executive Vice President of Operations for Airbus Commercial Aircraft, described the acquisition as a “special moment” for the company. “We are proud to welcome more than 4,000 new colleagues with whom we will begin a new chapter in our industrial operations by taking on activities that are essential to our commercial aircraft programs,” he said.
Under the terms of the deal, Airbus also assumes ownership of several major Spirit AeroSystems facilities worldwide, including the Kinston plant in North Carolina in the United States and the Saint-Nazaire facility in France—both specializing in A350 fuselage sections—along with additional sites in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and the United States.
The acquisition of the Casablanca plant marks a significant strategic step for Airbus in Morocco, further strengthening the country’s growing industrial capabilities in the aerospace sector. The move positions Morocco as an increasingly important regional hub for the production of high-tech commercial aircraft components.
This expansion forms part of a broader global growth strategy for Airbus, involving additional sites in Europe and North America aimed at boosting production capacity, expanding the manufacturing footprint, and reinforcing innovation and quality across its industrial ecosystem.
During the Dubai Airshow in November, Gabriel Semelas, Airbus’ President for Africa and the Middle East, emphasized the company’s strong partnership with Morocco. He highlighted the country’s strategic geographic advantage in supporting global production chains and noted that Airbus has been present in Morocco for over two decades, particularly through Airbus Atlantic, a key player in the production of composite components.
Semelas added that the acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems—which was at the time nearing completion—would further deepen Airbus’ activities in Morocco, calling it a “key strategic axis” for the group. He concluded by stressing that Airbus remains attentive to new partnership opportunities that could bring added value to its global supply chain within the country’s aerospace ecosystem.
