A Chinese medical company has begun building its first factory in Africa in northern Morocco, as the country looks to attract more advanced industries.
Jiangsu Aishelun Medical Technology Group started construction at Mohammed VI Tanger Tech City, through its Moroccan branch InnovMed Tech Group.
The factory is expected to supply products to Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
The company makes basic medical supplies used in hospitals, including surgical gowns, drapes, ice packs and adult care products.
The first phase of the project will cover nearly 60,000 square metres. This includes more than 31,000 square metres for production, storage and offices. The cost is estimated at 151.75 million dirhams, or about $15.4 million.
Jiangsu Aishelun said it has raised its total planned investment in Morocco to up to €20 million, from €5 million, through its Hong Kong-based unit Excellent Medical Technology Co. Limited.
“The company decided to increase the investment in its Moroccan subsidiary by €15 million through its Hong Kong subsidiary, Excellent Medical Technology Co. Limited, using self-owned and self-raised funds. The total planned investment will therefore not exceed €20 million,” the company said.
It expects the factory to bring in about €25 million a year once it is fully running within two to three years.
The project is part of a wider wave of Chinese investment in Tanger Tech. Other companies, including Guangdong Haomei New Materials and BTR New Material Group, are also setting up factories there.
Many Chinese firms are using northern Morocco as a base to reach European markets more easily.
Economic ties between Morocco and China have been growing. Trade between the two countries has reached about $10 billion, rising by more than 21% in a year.
Morocco has been offering financial support to attract investors and is trying to grow industries beyond textiles and cars.
The new factory also supports Morocco’s plan to build a stronger healthcare sector. This push began during the Covid-19 pandemic, when Morocco worked with Sinopharm to produce vaccines locally. Since then, the country has been working to make more of its own medical products.
