OREANDA-NEWS. April 17, 2015. Alstom and Nexans celebrate in Fez (Morocco) three years of collaboration through their joint venture Cabliance, equally held by both companies. Based in Fes, the joint venture produces electrical harnesses and control cabinets for the Moroccan and international rail industry. This celebration was held in the presence of Moulay Hadif Elalamy, Moroccan minister for industry, commerce, investment and the digital economy and Alstom's country president for Morocco, Thi Mai Tran.

The Cabliance manufacturing site, which today comprises approximately 200 employees and collaborates with 22 local suppliers, contributes to the region's industrial and economic development. To date, the site has produced over 6500 electrical harnesses and over 1000 control boxes, solutions which enable the electrification of trains. Cabliance has equipped the Citadis trams of Casablanca and the high-speed trains of Morocco, as well as trains destined for the international market such as regional trains in Poland and Sweden.

"Alstom is committed to developing its activities in Morocco by focusing on two axes of development: the co-localisation of its expertise and the development of local knowhow.  Alstom sees Morocco as a high-potential market and a bridge between Europe and subsaharan Africa to project itself towards new emerging markets" says Thi Mai Tran, Alstom Country President  Morocco.

"Through this collaboration, Nexans Morocco continues to support the development of the country's industry by investing in sectors of strategic activity which favour the transfer of knowhow, advanced technology and the creation of added value. In this way, Nexans strengthens its position as a major actor in industrial activities related to transport   (automotive, aviation and now rail) while maintaining its position as local industrial   leader in the power  cables and telecommunications   professions, as well as in  equipment and substations" says Karim Bennis, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of  Nexans Morocco.

Present in Morocco for over 40 years, Alstom's strategic approach is that of a true industrial partner, accompanying Morocco in the development of its infrastructure. The Group has played a key role in numerous major infrastructure projects such as the first trams of Rabat and Casablanca, the first high-speed rail line, the "Akhfenir" wind park in the south of the country, the maintenance of one of Morocco's largest power plants, Jorf Lasfar, and maintenance of the locomotives of the ONCF.