Casablanca – Morocco’s tire manufacturing industry is set for another significant expansion as Chinese companies increase their investments in production facilities, with three major projects expected to give the country a combined annual capacity of about 36 million tires once all planned facilities reach their intended output levels.

The latest project comes from Chinese manufacturer Guizhou Tyre, which has approved an investment of approximately $298.72 million to establish a smart tire manufacturing plant at the Mohammed VI Tangier Tech industrial zone. The facility is planned to produce 6 million semi-steel radial tires annually for passenger vehicles and is expected to take about two years to build.

The investment is divided largely between construction and other project costs. Company documents indicate that about $293 million will be allocated to construction, with the remainder covering construction-period interest and initial working capital. The project is expected to be financed through the company’s own funds and other funds raised by the group.

Guizhou Tyre operates internationally through brands including Advance and Samson. The Moroccan facility will be the company’s second production base outside China, after its plant in Vietnam. The company has described the project as part of its international expansion strategy, with the Moroccan location intended to improve its access to overseas markets and diversify its production network.

The project has progressed through several administrative stages. Guizhou Tyre previously approved the investment at board level and subsequently completed the required overseas investment procedures in China. The company has said that the remaining steps include obtaining the specific authorization for the factory site and establishing its Moroccan subsidiary before construction can proceed.

Once operational, the Guizhou Tyre plant is expected to generate average annual sales of about $182.5 million and average annual profit of approximately $40.9 million under normal operating conditions, according to projections published with the project documentation. The company estimates a total investment return rate of 13.37%.

Guizhou Tyre’s project is part of a larger expansion of Chinese tire manufacturing in Morocco. Another major investment is being developed by Shandong Yongsheng Rubber in Driouch province, near the Nador West Med port. The project is designed as a large-scale tire manufacturing facility and forms part of efforts to develop an integrated industrial base for rubber tire production in the region. Construction work officially began in January 2026.

Information available on the Yongsheng project indicates that the company has planned substantial production capacity in Morocco. Recent company information also points to a $125 million investment in a steel-belted radial tire facility with annual capacity of 6 million semi-steel radial tires, although this figure appears to relate to a specific phase or facility and differs from earlier broader estimates for the company’s Moroccan industrial complex.

A third Chinese manufacturer, Sentury Tire, is already developing a major production operation in Tangier. The company’s industrial unit at Mohammed VI Tangier Tech covers approximately 200,000 square meters, including 120,000 square meters of covered infrastructure. The overall investment has been reported at about $490 million, with a designed annual capacity of 12 million tires.

Sentury’s Moroccan operation is also moving toward higher utilization. In May 2026, the company said its Tangier plant was operating at maximum capacity during its ramp-up phase and that it expected to reach its full designed capacity of 6 million passenger-car tires annually before the end of 2026. The company also reported that the Moroccan operation became profitable during the first quarter of 2026.

The differences between the reported capacities for Sentury illustrate that some figures refer to the plant’s broader designed capacity while others concern the current production phase. Nevertheless, the combined development of Sentury, Yongsheng and Guizhou Tyre represents a substantial increase in Morocco’s tire manufacturing potential.

The expansion is taking place within a broader development of Morocco’s automotive industry. The country has established a large network of vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers, while investment is increasingly extending into tires, batteries, electric-vehicle components and other parts of the automotive supply chain.

Chinese investment has become particularly visible in these areas. Tire manufacturing is being accompanied by projects related to electric vehicle batteries and battery materials, including major investments planned in Kenitra and Tangier Tech. The diversification of Chinese projects means that Morocco is attracting companies operating at different stages of the automotive production chain rather than relying on a single category of manufacturing.

Tangier’s industrial and logistics infrastructure is an important factor in this expansion. The Mohammed VI Tangier Tech zone was developed as an industrial platform with strong connections to international markets, while the wider Tangier region benefits from the logistics network surrounding Tanger Med. The location allows manufacturers to organize production and export operations with access to European, African and other international destinations.

The attraction of tire manufacturers also reflects changes in global automotive supply chains. Companies are increasingly seeking production bases that can serve multiple markets and reduce dependence on a single manufacturing location. Morocco’s proximity to Europe, its existing automotive industry and its port infrastructure make it a potential base for manufacturers seeking access to regional customers.

The export orientation of the sector is already visible in the operations of Sentury Tire. The company’s Moroccan production has been developed with international markets in mind, and the manufacturer has reported strong demand from overseas customers. The company said in May that orders for its overseas plants exceeded available supply while its Tangier facility was being ramped up.

For Morocco, the development of a larger tire industry could have several effects across the automotive ecosystem. Local production can provide vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers with additional sourcing options, while larger production volumes can support exports and create demand for related industrial services, logistics and raw materials.

The projects also increase the geographic concentration of tire manufacturing around northern Morocco. Sentury and Guizhou Tyre are associated with Tangier Tech, while Yongsheng’s project is located in the Oriental region near Nador West Med. This creates a developing tire-manufacturing corridor with access to major logistics infrastructure.

The growth of the sector comes as Morocco seeks to increase the domestic content of its automotive industry. Expanding component production can allow the country to capture a larger share of value generated by vehicle manufacturing and reduce dependence on imported components.

The Chinese projects are therefore relevant beyond the tire sector itself. Their development could strengthen connections between international manufacturers and Moroccan suppliers, encourage additional investment in supporting industries and increase the country’s role in global automotive value chains.

Guizhou Tyre’s $298.72 million investment adds another major project to this industrial expansion. With 6 million tires of planned annual capacity, the factory will increase Morocco’s potential production base once construction is completed and operations reach their targeted levels.

Taken together, the investments by Guizhou Tyre, Sentury Tire and Shandong Yongsheng Rubber show how tire manufacturing is becoming a more important part of Morocco’s automotive industry. The projects involve substantial capital expenditure, large production capacities and a strong focus on international markets.

The expansion also reinforces the role of northern Morocco as a manufacturing and export platform. With Tangier Tech attracting new automotive-related investments and Nador West Med providing another major logistics gateway, the country is developing several locations capable of supporting large-scale industrial production.

If the planned projects reach their announced capacities, Morocco could have the potential to produce around 36 million tires annually across the three Chinese manufacturers. That would represent a significant increase from the country’s existing industrial base and would give tire production a larger role within Morocco’s automotive manufacturing and export structure.