Johannes Kirsch, responsible for foreign trade at the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association, sees opportunities for joint projects between German and Moroccan companies.
In which fields of technology is there potential for cooperation between Moroccan companies and the German electrical industry?
In Morocco, for example, there are some interesting producers of power cables and cable fittings and other components for power transmission and distribution, but also some production facilities of international car manufacturers and their supplier industry.
Both industries do not produce primarily for domestic consumption, but do so with the intention of exporting the products. Exportable products must meet international quality standards. Sophisticated manufacturing techniques help to reliably meet the required product qualities. This brings German manufacturers of components and equipment for factory automation into play.
Basic metalworking skills are essential in many areas of industrial value creation. For this reason, companies from the ZVEI African Markets Working Group have joined forces to systematically teach young people the finer points of modern welding technology at the CPT vocational school in Kenitra. These training measures are financially supported by GIZ. They improve the professional opportunities of young people in the Moroccan economy and thus also contribute to reducing youth unemployment in Morocco.
Are there international examples and benchmarks where knowledge transfer between companies and their local partners/customers are already taking place successfully? (China, Mexico, etc…)
China is certainly a special case because as the now largest market for the EE industry, the country sets the conditions for international investment and has thus always forced technology transfer. Morocco is not in this position of power simply because of its size, and Mexico, as far as we know, has not performed this way either.
In my opinion, state coercion with the goal of technology transfer is not even necessary, because entry into international value chains in our industry does not first require low wages as an entry ticket, but rather the reliable production of high quality. This in turn requires a qualified workforce, which is why the investors from the ZVEI working group “African Markets” are initially focusing on training measures for Moroccan workers.
What opportunities are there for cooperation in third markets – i.e. in Africa? What is a possible division of roles here?
Morocco’s southern neighbors are not yet as developed industrially, but have a need, for example, for equipment for energy infrastructure. Here, Moroccan hardware manufacturers and Moroccan construction companies can work together with European technology suppliers to build reliable structures there.
Appeal to member companies: Why is it worthwhile to get involved in this area now, even though the volumes are not yet comparable to those of larger foreign markets?
In view of the distortions in the large markets, risk diversification by working new markets will be an important counterbalance to counter the so-called “cluster risks” in the future. Therefore, it may become increasingly important to learn according to which rules new markets “tick” e.g. in North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. The earlier companies start to engage in this learning curve and participate in the development of the markets there, the more experienced and resilient they will become in this interesting environment. If further dislocation were to occur in the major markets with the geostrategic risks, this would be an important advantage for German electrical companies in these growing markets.