In Morocco, Chinese expertise plays a crucial role in developing the vehicle wheel industry, showcasing the strengthening economic ties between China and Morocco under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). One key project in this development is CITIC Dicastal's investment in Morocco, which has established the country's first aluminium alloy wheel manufacturing plant.
This investment underscores the practical cooperation and cultural integration driven by BRI projects.
Since 2018, Zhang Shiqi, the current project manager, has been the driving force behind the research and site selection efforts for the manufacturing plant under China's state-owned CITIC group. His leadership has been instrumental in constructing and operating the CITIC Dicastal Morocco factory, marking the largest Chinese investment in Morocco. The project is a significant step toward fostering industrial development and deepening ties between the two nations.
Zhang Shiqi explained that the decision to establish the plant in Morocco was driven by the country's industrial gap in this sector.
"Before we came to Morocco, most of the products we provided to European and Moroccan customers were manufactured in China and then shipped here. Morocco didn't have an aluminium alloy hot processing industry," Zhang said.
The Chinese team encountered challenges during the process due to Morocco's lack of experience in aluminium alloy wheel manufacturing and the underdeveloped local supply chain.
"During the construction phase, we faced several challenges. For example, Morocco lacked expertise in producing aluminium alloy wheels. We sent key personnel to China for training. Additionally, the local supply chain was insufficient, so we brought our domestic supply chain system here in the early stages," Zhang said.
The factory bridged a crucial gap in the nation's automotive industry by manufacturing Africa's first aluminium alloy wheels within eight months.
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