Korea's SEOIL Corporation has inaugurated its first factory on the African continent in Morocco's Settat province. The plant, located in the LOGINTEK industrial and logistics zone, marks the group's ninth production unit worldwide and its first in the Africa-Europe region. SEOIL Corporation was founded in Korea in 1979 and supplies over 50 billion straws a year to customers across more than 110 countries.
The factory, operating as SEOIL Morocco Corporation, covers an area of 24,790 m² and has an annual capacity of six billion straws. The production will be split evenly between three billion paper straws and three billion made from polypropylene and biodegradable materials. According to Youssef Fadil, director general of industry at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the project is expected to create over 270 direct jobs and several hundred indirect positions.
The majority of the production, 95%, will be exported to clients in Europe, the Americas, and Africa. Kim Kyung Tae, SEOIL Corporation's chief executive, stated that the investment is part of a long-term vision, driven by confidence in Moroccan skills, the kingdom's industrial assets, and its strategic location. The plant will also serve as a platform to widen the group's reach in international markets while transferring know-how through training programs and exchanges with SEOIL's other sites.
The project was made possible through a partnership agreement following a roadshow Morocco ran in Korea. Salmane Belayachi, head of the Casablanca-Settat Regional Investment Center (CRI), highlighted the rapid pace of the project, which was completed in less than two years after the first contacts with the Korean investor. The local manufacturing will also allow Moroccan firms to source straws produced in Settat.
SEOIL Morocco Corporation's manager, Seok Cheon Choi, emphasized the importance of equipping local teams to handle the group's technology and quality standards. Training sessions and exchanges with other SEOIL plants, including facilities in Asia, will be conducted to build local expertise and transfer know-how. The aim is for SEOIL Morocco Corporation to become a lasting part of Settat's economy and open opportunities for the region's talent.
The Settat site incorporates measures to reduce water and energy consumption. A closed-circuit purification and recycling system handles the water needed for production hygiene, while rainwater is collected, filtered, and reused for non-potable purposes. The plant also plans to install rooftop photovoltaic panels paired with storage, along with variable-speed motors, power-factor correction, and efficient equipment to cut electricity consumption.
The LOGINTEK industrial and logistics zone, where the factory is located, is Morocco's first fully integrated private industrial and logistics zone. It is strategically situated near Mohammed V International Airport, the Port of Casablanca, and major transportation networks. The zone is expected to generate thousands of jobs and strengthen Casablanca-Settat's position as an industrial and logistics hub.
Key points
- The factory is expected to create over 270 direct jobs and several hundred indirect positions.
- The plant will produce six billion straws annually, with 95% of production destined for export.
- The project was completed in less than two years, following a partnership agreement between Morocco and SEOIL Corporation.
