Strengthening Industrial Ties Between Italy and Morocco
From September 9 to 11, 2026, ten prominent Italian companies specializing in foundry and metallurgy will showcase their cutting-edge technologies at the SISTEP event in Casablanca. Spearheaded by the Italian Trade Agency (ITA-ICE) in collaboration with the Italian Foundry Suppliers Association (AMAFOND), this mission is designed to foster B2B meetings, facilitate knowledge transfer, and promote co-industrialization. Luigi D’Aprea, director of the ITA-ICE office in Casablanca, articulates the ambitions driving this initiative.
The Italian participation in SISTEP INDUSTRIAL 2026 serves as a pivotal strategic lever, aimed at enhancing industrial relationships between Italy and Morocco. This initiative, organized in synergy with the Italian Embassy and supported by AMAFOND, offers Moroccan operators privileged access to the technological excellence of the Italian foundry sector. Today, Morocco has emerged as a strategic market for Italian foundry and metallurgy companies due to several converging factors.
First and foremost, the Moroccan government has prioritized industrial sovereignty within this sector as a key element of its public policy. The Federation of Metallurgical, Mechanical, and Electromechanical Industries (FIMME) has recently launched, with backing from the Ministry of Industry and Trade and financial partners such as Crédit Agricole du Maroc, a strategic plan focused on financing sector enterprises and promoting industrial safety. Additionally, the development of high-value-added mining sectors, exemplified by the foundry project linked to the Tizert copper deposit, aims to bolster national autonomy and industrialize the Moroccan metallurgy sector, particularly to meet the emerging demands of electromobility and energy storage.
Furthermore, Moroccan metallurgy is structurally transversal, influencing industries such as automotive, aerospace, and agri-food. This creates an entry point for Italian foundry and metal processing technologies that are applicable across multiple industrial ecosystems. The participation of Italy at SISTEP underscores an evolving trend; Morocco is now the seventh most important destination for Italian companies, with trade exchanges nearing 4.75 billion euros in 2025. More significantly, the nature of this relationship is evolving beyond mere commodity exchange, as Italian companies increasingly view Morocco as a high-potential domestic market and a crucial industrial and logistical platform for accessing African markets.
At the heart of this dynamic is the export of industrial technologies, including advanced machinery, equipment, and engineering solutions, which represent about 30% of total exports to Morocco, highlighting the central role of Italian expertise in the automation and efficiency of Moroccan value chains.
As reported by industries.ma.
Showcasing Italian Expertise at SISTEP 2026
Within the context of this collective participation at SISTEP INDUSTRIAL 2026, several distinctive advantages of Italian expertise in foundry and metallurgy will be emphasized to Moroccan industrialists. This presence offers a unique opportunity to explore and evaluate the diverse offerings of Italian technology. Our delegation, highly representative of our sector's excellence, will enable professionals to engage with innovative solutions spanning a wide spectrum from robotic automation to sustainable industrial processes.
The first advantage is the historical grounding and reliability of the sector. AMAFOND, the Italian Foundry Suppliers Association established in 1946, encompasses approximately ninety of the most significant companies in the sector, covering about 85% of national production with an export rate of 75%. This 80 years of experience translates into a comprehensive offering that encompasses the entire foundry production chain, including industrial furnaces, molding installations, core production systems, pressure casting machines, molds, and auxiliary materials.
The second advantage lies in the technological innovation tailored to the concrete needs of foundries: robotic automation, digital process control, energy consumption reduction systems, and material treatment solutions are among the fields where Italian suppliers excel, as evidenced by technologies showcased during recent international missions, covering ferrous and non-ferrous metal melting, industrial automation, and sustainable solutions.
The third advantage, particularly relevant for a market like Morocco that is undergoing rapid modernization in its metallurgy sector, is the environmental commitment of Italian companies. Several AMAFOND members have made quantified decarbonization commitments, aiming for a 30% reduction in direct emissions by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2045, directly aligning with the energy transition requirements that Moroccan foundries must also integrate.
Finally, a qualitative advantage lies in the technical support and knowledge transfer. Beyond selling equipment, Italian companies often propose shared research projects, process consulting, and training for foundries, aligning perfectly with the industrial partnership ethos rather than mere supply that this collective participation at SISTEP embodies.
The participation at SISTEP IMME 2026 is part of a particularly fruitful bilateral dynamic, opening multiple concrete avenues for industrial cooperation beyond the event itself. In this context, we have structured a comprehensive program aimed at maximizing added value for our local partners: through a dedicated agenda of B2B meetings within the exhibition and guided technical visits to Moroccan foundries, we foster direct, technical, and tangible dialogue.
Beyond commercial transactions, these B2B meetings are part of a proven model of sustainable cooperation, encouraging direct exchanges between companies. Our ambition transcends the mere supply of equipment; it is about stimulating co-industrialization through joint projects (technology transfers, licensing agreements, or joint ventures) that embed Italian expertise at the core of Moroccan industrial development.
Our commitment goes beyond merely supplying equipment to prioritize sustainable industrial cooperation. In the foundry sector, we offer a comprehensive range, from furnaces to molding and casting systems, aimed at supporting the upgrading of the Moroccan industrial fabric. During the SISTEP 2026 event, we will realize this ambition through a program combining active presence and immersive technical visits. More than a commercial endeavor, this mission aims to serve as a vehicle for technological transfer and co-construction of integrated value chains, solidifying Morocco's role as a strategic hub of excellence for the entire African continent.
To this end, local companies in contact with their Italian counterparts will, if applicable, benefit from indirect financial support mobilized through instruments provided by Italian financial institutions present in Morocco to facilitate investments and strengthen sustainable partnerships.
