According to local media reports, Somasteel, a Morocco-based rebar producer, has officially inaugurated the expansion of its production facility in Nouaceur, with Ryad Mezzour, Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade, attending the ceremony.
The expansion project involves the installation of a modern electric reheating furnace and represents a total investment of MAD 760 million ($83.4 million). With the new facilities in place, Somasteel is expected to raise its annual billet production capacity to 400,000 mt.
The project is also set to deliver a substantial employment boost, with direct jobs increasing from 250 to 850, while nearly 1,800 indirect jobs are expected to be created, supporting the socio-economic development of the surrounding region.
According to the company, the investment completes Somasteel’s production chain by integrating the full industrial process, from scrap metal recycling to reinforcing steel bar production. The expansion is aligned with Somasteel’s vertical integration strategy, allowing the company to produce billets in-house as a critical input for its rebar operations.
During the inauguration, Minister Ryad Mezzour welcomed the commissioning of the expanded facility and praised Somasteel and other industry stakeholders for their role in strengthening local manufacturing and promoting competitive import substitution.
For his part, Somasteel CEO Khalid Machrah, as cited by local media, stated that the inauguration of the new extension marks an important milestone in the development of the company’s industrial site. He noted that the project forms a core part of Somasteel’s vertical integration strategy, enabling billet production as an essential raw material for reinforcing steel.