Vossloh Futrifer Services Morocco: A New Era for Rail Maintenance
A new Franco-Portuguese joint venture dedicated to rail maintenance has officially launched in Casablanca, under the name Vossloh Futrifer Services Morocco, as announced by the German group Vossloh. This innovative company will operate on the network of the National Office of Railways (ONCF) as well as the urban rail networks of both Casablanca and Rabat, according to sources close to the matter, as reported by barlamane.com.
The new entity brings together Vossloh Services France, a French branch specializing in rail services, and the Portuguese company Futrifer Indústrias Ferroviárias, in which Vossloh and Diorama hold shares. The Casablanca headquarters is strategically positioned to meet the increasing technical demands stemming from the expansion of conventional, high-speed, and urban rail lines across the kingdom.
Comprehensive Maintenance Solutions and Local Workforce Development
Vossloh Futrifer Services Morocco will provide a wide range of maintenance services, including the upkeep of track switches and crossings, mobile rail welding through both manual and robotic processes, grinding, milling, and routine maintenance tasks on the tracks. These services will blend mechanical expertise with rail surface treatment and mobile interventions aimed at preserving the geometry, reliability, and longevity of the rail infrastructure.
Initially, the company will deploy experienced teams from Vossloh Services France and Futrifer, who have been collaborating in the French market since 2024. Looking ahead to 2027, the joint venture plans to recruit and train Moroccan technicians, thereby embedding its technical skills within the kingdom and forming local teams capable of covering various roles in rail maintenance.
Moreover, Vossloh is actively participating in a sectoral initiative to establish a Moroccan training center focused on rail industry professions. This initiative will support the rising demand for welders, track technicians, switch specialists, grinding machine operators, and personnel responsible for maintaining national and urban rail networks.
Marcel Taubert, the General Director of Vossloh Rail Services, emphasizes that the establishment of Vossloh Futrifer Services Morocco "expands our presence in North Africa and promotes sustainable mobility in one of the continent's most active markets." Meanwhile, Joaquim Dias Amaro, Vice President of Futrifer, believes that this venture will provide opportunities to gain "new experiences in different geographical areas" and enhance the internationalization of the Portuguese company within Vossloh's rail services portfolio.
Aligned with Morocco's ambitious rail plan aiming for up to 1,300 kilometers of high-speed rail lines by 2040, the launch of this subsidiary comes as a response to the announced investments. The program also includes the expansion of the conventional network, improvement of metropolitan services, and increased capacity in areas experiencing significant growth in passenger and freight traffic.
Having been established in Morocco for several decades, Vossloh secured a major contract in 2024 for the provision of rail fastening systems and track devices intended for the new high-speed line between Casablanca and Marrakech. This infrastructure extends Morocco's high-speed network southward and increases the demand for specialized maintenance, track inspection, and precision rail equipment.
