Casablanca – A French-German-Portuguese partnership has established a new railway maintenance company in Morocco, adding specialized track services to a market undergoing a broad expansion of national and urban rail infrastructure.

Vossloh Services France and Futrifer Indústrias Ferroviárias created Vossloh Futrifer Services Maroc, a joint venture headquartered in Casablanca that became operational on July 1, 2026. The company will provide maintenance services for railway infrastructure operated by Morocco’s National Railways Office (ONCF), as well as urban rail networks in Casablanca and Rabat.

The new company is designed to address the growing maintenance requirements associated with Morocco’s railway development program. Its services will cover railway switches and crossings, mobile rail welding, grinding, milling and general track maintenance. Welding operations will include both conventional manual work and robot-assisted processes.

Vossloh said the joint venture will initially rely on experienced personnel from Vossloh Services France and Futrifer. The two companies have been cooperating in France since 2024. From 2027, the Moroccan subsidiary plans to recruit and train Moroccan workers, with the stated objective of building local technical expertise and establishing a longer-term operational presence in the country.

The creation of the joint venture comes as Morocco prepares for a substantial expansion of its railway network. Under the Morocco Rail Plan 2040, the country envisages developing up to 1,300 kilometers of high-speed railway lines. The expansion is expected to increase demand for specialized maintenance services alongside the construction of new infrastructure.

Vossloh already has a commercial relationship with ONCF linked to this expansion. In 2024, the German railway technology group secured orders worth approximately $87 million for rail fastening systems, switches and related components for the planned high-speed line connecting Casablanca and Marrakech. The orders cover deliveries extending from 2024 through 2028.

According to Vossloh, the switches and switch components included in the 2024 contract are valued at almost $58 million, while rail fastening systems account for around $29 million. The equipment is intended for the approximately 245-kilometer high-speed connection between Casablanca and Marrakech, which is planned to support operating speeds of up to 320 kilometers per hour.

The project is part of Morocco’s broader effort to expand high-speed rail beyond the existing Tangier-Kenitra section. The current high-speed network includes roughly 200 kilometers of line where trains can operate at more than 300 kilometers per hour. The planned expansion toward Marrakech and other destinations is expected to significantly increase the size and complexity of the country’s high-speed rail system.

For Vossloh, the new maintenance venture represents a move from supplying railway components toward establishing a more direct and continuing role in railway infrastructure services in Morocco. The company said its maintenance portfolio includes technologies intended to address rail wear and surface defects before they develop into more serious problems.

One of the technologies associated with Vossloh’s maintenance activities is High Speed Grinding, which is designed for preventive treatment of rail surfaces and can operate at speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour. The company has not, however, specified which particular machines will be deployed by the new Moroccan joint venture.

The scope of the new company also includes maintenance of switches and crossings. These components are particularly important in railway networks because they allow trains to move between tracks and are subject to regular mechanical stresses. Their inspection and maintenance are therefore an integral part of railway infrastructure management.

The venture will serve two different types of railway systems. On the national network, its activities will be linked to infrastructure operated by ONCF, while in Casablanca and Rabat it will target urban rail networks. Vossloh has not announced the first specific maintenance contract, the railway section where operations will begin, the size of the initial works or the value of contracts secured by the new company.

The decision to establish a Moroccan subsidiary also reflects the companies’ intention to develop local capabilities rather than rely indefinitely on personnel from abroad. The initial use of experienced teams from France and Futrifer is expected to provide technical support during the launch phase, while the recruitment and training of Moroccan employees from 2027 should gradually increase local participation in the company’s activities.

Vossloh has also said it is participating in an industry initiative aimed at establishing a railway training center in Morocco. Such a facility could contribute to the development of technical skills required by the expanding rail sector, although details regarding the center’s structure, investment and timetable have not been disclosed.

The partnership brings together Vossloh Services France and Futrifer Indústrias Ferroviárias, a Portuguese company in which Vossloh and Diorama are shareholders. Their cooperation in France since 2024 provides an existing operational relationship that can be extended to Morocco through the new joint venture.

Morocco’s rail expansion is also increasingly connected to preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which the country will co-host with Spain and Portugal. Vossloh’s 2024 contract for the Casablanca-Marrakech line was structured with deliveries continuing through 2028, while the line is planned as part of the wider development of the country’s high-speed rail network.

The Casablanca-Marrakech project is expected to reduce journey times between two of Morocco’s largest cities while creating an additional high-speed corridor. Beyond passenger services, the expansion of railway infrastructure is expected to increase the need for inspection, repair and preventive maintenance as more tracks, switches and other components enter service.

The establishment of Vossloh Futrifer Services Maroc therefore comes at an early stage of a longer expansion cycle. Its immediate role is focused on maintenance rather than the construction of new railway lines, but the timing places the company within a sector where infrastructure investment is expected to generate additional demand for specialized technical services.

For Morocco, the joint venture adds an international railway maintenance operator with experience in track technology and high-speed rail infrastructure. For Vossloh and Futrifer, it creates a dedicated platform from which to pursue maintenance activities in a market where the national network, urban rail systems and planned high-speed lines are all developing.

No financial details have been disclosed for the establishment of Vossloh Futrifer Services Maroc, and the companies have yet to identify specific maintenance contracts or railway sections for the subsidiary’s initial projects. Its planned recruitment and training program from 2027, however, indicates that the partners intend to establish a sustained presence rather than limit their activities to individual projects.

As Morocco continues to implement its long-term railway strategy, the balance between construction and maintenance is likely to become increasingly important. The expansion of high-speed services will require new infrastructure, while existing conventional and urban networks will continue to require regular maintenance. The new Casablanca-based venture is positioned to operate across both areas, with its initial focus on specialized track services and the gradual development of a Moroccan workforce.