A Chinese company strengthens its presence in Morocco with a new facility for automotive components in Tangier.
The city of Tangier is set to welcome a new Chinese industrial investment in the automotive components sector. The company Wuhu Sanlian Forging has officially chosen the free industrial zone Tanger Tech as the site for its project, following several revisions regarding its location and investment volume over the past two years.
The Chinese firm officially registered its Moroccan subsidiary under the name Sanlian Technology Morocco Co., Ltd on August 17, 2026. This new entity is entirely owned by Sanlian Technology Singapore, paving the way for the group’s activities to commence in the Moroccan market.
Structured as a single-member limited liability company, the subsidiary has an officially registered capital of 100,000 dirhams and will be headquartered in Tanger Tech.
Its activities will primarily focus on the manufacturing of electrical and electronic equipment and components for the automotive industry, as well as trading related accessories and spare parts.
A Project Reassessed Multiple Times
The project dates back to 2024 when Sanlian announced its intention to establish a production base in Tangier with an initial investment estimated at approximately $4 million, or nearly 37.2 million dirhams.
This establishment was part of the group’s strategy to expand its international operations and enhance its presence outside the Chinese market.
However, in 2025, the company re-evaluated the project’s initial phase and increased the proposed investment to about 109 million dirhams. A portion of the funding, estimated at nearly 40 million dirhams, was expected to come from resources mobilized through the issuance of convertible bonds.
The project then faced challenges related to the availability of suitable industrial land in Tangier, prompting the company to temporarily consider establishing itself in Rabat.
Between October 2025 and July 2026, Sanlian continued assessing various options before ultimately confirming Tangier as the project’s destination, following the identification of an appropriate plot of land and the payment of a deposit for its acquisition.
Investment Increased to Nearly 194 Million Dirhams
The latest documents from the group now confirm that Tanger Tech is the definitive site for the project.
Additionally, Sanlian has raised the recorded value of its foreign investment to 18 million euros, approximately 193.9 million dirhams.
According to the company, this revision reflects the actual needs related to construction work and the volume of investment necessary for the project’s realization. The currency used to record the investment has also been changed from the dollar to the euro.
Tangier Confirms Its Attractiveness in the Automotive Sector
Through this establishment, Sanlian aims to boost its sales, accelerate its international development, and access new markets.
The group is particularly betting on Morocco’s geographical position, its industrial and logistical infrastructure, as well as the developed automotive ecosystem surrounding Tangier and the Kingdom’s main industrial platforms.
Specializing in the production of precision automotive components for manufacturers and equipment suppliers, Sanlian has not yet disclosed the number of jobs that could be created by its Moroccan project.
Furthermore, the group indicates that it will continue to monitor the evolution of the legal and investment environment in Morocco as the project progresses. It also highlights the potential challenges arising from regulatory, administrative, and economic differences between China, Singapore, and Morocco.
A New Milestone for the Moroccan Automotive Ecosystem
The arrival of Sanlian Technology fits into a broader dynamic of expansion within the Moroccan automotive industry. The Kingdom is gradually attracting an increasing number of companies specializing in the manufacturing of automotive components and parts.
This attractiveness is rooted in the development of industrial zones, the quality of logistical infrastructure, the presence of a supplier network, and proximity to leading international markets.
With the confirmation of Tanger Tech as the site of establishment, Sanlian’s project serves as a new signal of the growing interest from Chinese investors in the Moroccan automotive sector and contributes to strengthening the Kingdom’s integration into the international value chains of the automotive industry.
