Manufacturing & industrial investmentSetting up in Morocco
For factories and industrial projects: from choosing a zone and negotiating the land to building and staffing, tailored to you and supported the whole way.
Get a quoteCommon needs & challenges
Industrial projects are large and slow, touching the zone, tax, customs, construction and staffing, and an early misjudgement is often expensive. These are the problems manufacturing clients meet most often.
The acceleration zone tax deal is not what old brochures say
Industrial acceleration zones, the ZAI, still offer a corporate tax holiday, but the preferential rate that followed it has shifted with recent tax reforms. Eligibility, the rate and how it is calculated differ by project and the policy can change, so we assess it honestly with a licensed tax advisor and make no promises.
Zones are built for export, so domestic sales need planning
Companies in a zone are geared to export, and selling their products into Morocco is treated as an import, subject to customs duty and VAT and possibly to a cap. If you also want the local market, the company structure and the way you organise the business need to be planned before you set up.
Investment grants are applied for case by case, not automatic
The Investment Charter offers grants for qualifying projects, but the actual level of support depends on the sector, the region, the amount invested and the jobs created, and is only settled in the investment agreement signed with the government. We help you work through the conditions and arrange talks with bodies such as the regional investment centre.
Moving money out and profits back must be compliant on both sides
On the China side, investing through a company means completing the outbound investment, or ODI, filings with the NDRC and the commerce authorities and the bank foreign exchange registration, usually 1 to 3 months. On the Morocco side, the capital must come in from abroad through a bank in convertible currency and be properly declared, or sending profits and capital back later can be affected. We coordinate professional firms on both sides and set it up in advance.
Land, construction, permits and staffing all run long
Prices for industrial land and ready-built factories are not public and are negotiated one by one with the zone developer. Environmental clearance, building permits and utility connections involve many steps, and a project often takes more than a year from site selection to production, while starting construction before approvals invites disputes. We join you on site visits and in negotiations and push each approval forward step by step.
Partners and suppliers vary, and the wrong one is costly
Zone developers, contractors, suppliers and professional firms are a mixed bag, and the wrong partner can slow the build, push up costs and even create compliance risk. We are based locally and know the reputations, so we select them for you and keep oversight throughout.
Why Saroutt
Our Morocco team is on the ground
This is not remote paperwork. We have a team based in Morocco who know the local processes, offices and pace, and run things in person for you.
Everything in Chinese, fewer detours
From China to landing in Morocco, we work with you in Chinese; the complex French and Arabic documents and procedures are on us.
We know the local way things are done, not just the rules
Behind every step are local conventions and the way things actually get done: who to approach, how to raise it, where things stall. We know the practice, not just the procedure, so you avoid the mistakes newcomers make.
A real local network
Banks, licensed lawyers and accountants, notaries and sworn translators, zones, landlords and suppliers: we have reliable local relationships, so you don't start from scratch.
We negotiate in the local language
Leases, prices, and dealings with offices and partners: we argue your case in person in Darija and French, so language never costs you.
One all-in price, official fees included
The quote is spelled out once, it includes official fees, and it does not creep as long as the scope stays the same.
How we typically help
- ZAI eligibility screening and a comparison of the zones, from the Atlantic Free Zone in Kenitra to Tanger Med and Midparc
- Site visit trips with interpreting: zone tours, factory visits and meetings with developers
- Land or ready built factory search, review of the lease or purchase, construction and utility connections
- ODI filing, moving capital out, and bringing it into Morocco through a bank
- Equipment import clearance and logistics through Tanger Med
- Recruiting, training, social security, and work permits and residence for expat staff
- Housing and settling in for expat staff, including apartments, a shuttle and a Chinese canteen
- Accounting, filings and day to day relations with the zone
- Every plan is tailored to your situation, not a fixed package
FAQ
- Are the zone tax incentives guaranteed?
- No. Eligibility, the applicable rate and how it is worked out are decided by the zone, customs and the authorities under the rules, and the policy can change. We help you assess and apply and explain the conditions honestly, and we recommend a licensed tax advisor confirms it.
- Can you arrange a site visit?
- Yes. We can arrange zone tours, factory visits and meetings with the zone developer, with a Chinese interpreter throughout.
- Do you handle importing equipment and customs?
- A licensed partner handles customs and logistics, and we coordinate it and follow the progress. Production equipment imported into a zone can usually benefit from relief on customs duty and VAT, subject to customs rules.
- Can profits be sent back to China?
- Yes. Where the investment came in through a bank from abroad and was properly declared, profits and capital can in principle be sent back. Local tax, including the dividend withholding tax, has to be settled first, subject to the foreign exchange rules.
Start shaping your plan
Fill in a short questionnaire and we will reply within 24 hours on business days with a suggested plan and an exact quote.
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