GIMAV in Morocco: First Mission to Casablanca Concludes

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GIMAV

Date: 11 May 2026

The first GIMAV business mission to Morocco has concluded. The initiative was held in Casablanca from 4 to 7 May 2026 with the aim of fostering new business, networking and collaboration opportunities between Italian companies in the glass supply chain and local operators.

The mission was attended by 14 companies: SCHIATTI ANGELO S.r.l. Officina Meccanica, R.C.N. SOLUTIONS S.r.l., SKILL GLASS S.r.l., ANTONINI S.r.l., ADI S.r.l., MAPPI INTERNATIONAL S.r.l., TRIULZI CESARE SPECIAL EQUIPMENTS S.r.l., BOVONE S.r.l., CUGHER GLASS S.r.l., TECNOVATI COM S.r.l., DENVER S.p.A., NEPTUN S.r.l., PILKINGTON Italia S.p.A. and GE.MA.TA. S.p.A. This group, representative of Italian technological excellence — made up of 13 GIMAV member companies and one non-member company — had the opportunity to meet Moroccan buyers, stakeholders and production companies.

The day on Tuesday, 5 May opened with an institutional plenary session attended by leading Italian and Moroccan representatives. Speakers included Francesco Capecchi, Consul General of Italy in Morocco; Hassan Berkani, President of the Chamber of Commerce of the Casablanca-Settat Region; Luigi D’Aprea, Director of the Italian Trade Agency office in Casablanca; Fatima Zahra Mokhtari, Director of the Territorial Division; Carlo Escoffier from SACE; Yasin Dhaouadi from SIMEST; and the local representative of AMICA, the Moroccan Association for the Automotive Industry. GIMAV Director General Lucia Masutti also announced the new dates of the next edition of VITRUM, which will take place from 16 to 19 November 2027, confirming Fiera Milano as the venue for the event.

Italy-Morocco: The Value of One-to-One Contact as a Driver of Growth

The speeches clearly highlighted Morocco’s role as a market of strong interest for Italian companies: a dynamic, competitive and innovation-oriented country, capable of representing not only a strategic gateway to the African continent, but also an increasingly relevant partner for European industry. The economic framework confirms this outlook: in 2024, trade between Italy and Morocco reached a record value of €5 billion, while partial data for 2025 indicate growth in Italian exports of more than 12%. In particular, the machinery sector remains central to bilateral relations: in 2024, Italian exports of machinery to Morocco exceeded €448 million.

During the plenary session, it was emphasised that, alongside these positive indicators, the truly decisive element today is the direct relationship between companies. One-to-one contact, mutual knowledge and the ability to build concrete market access channels are fundamental factors in developing solid and lasting collaborations.

“This is only the beginning of a journey. Morocco has confirmed itself as a market of great interest, and GIMAV will continue to monitor it closely, with the aim of creating new opportunities for meetings and development for its member companies.” Lucia Masutti, Director General of GIMAV

Particular attention was also paid to Morocco’s development goals, with 2030 identified as one of the key milestones in the country’s growth path. In this context, the GIMAV mission represents a first concrete step towards a more structured dialogue between the Italian glass industry and the Moroccan market.

The Strength of the Mission: B2B Meetings with Buyers and Local Operators

Following the institutional session, the Italian companies met buyers and local operators through B2B meetings organised at company desks, in a targeted networking session designed to facilitate direct contact between supply and demand.

On Wednesday, 6 May, the GIMAV delegation visited three local production companies: Orimex, Sotraglace and Jet Glass Industry. These visits represented one of the most valuable moments of the mission, as they enabled the participating companies to observe production processes, organisational models and the technological needs of the Moroccan market first-hand.

Discussions with local operators revealed concrete needs related to process efficiency, finished product quality, automation, technological upgrading of plants and the ability to respond to growing demand in the construction, automotive and industrial glass application sectors. The automotive sector, in particular, is one of the country’s main development drivers: in 2024, Morocco’s automotive exports reached a record 157 billion dirhams, equal to approximately 17 billion dollars, marking a 6.3% increase compared to the previous year.

GIMAV would like to thank all the institutions, speakers, guests and partners who contributed to the success of the mission. Special thanks go to the participating companies, which chose to take part in this first initiative in Morocco, contributing with their presence, expertise and vision to building the beginning of a shared path.

The mission to Casablanca confirms GIMAV’s commitment to promoting the internationalisation of Italian companies in the sector, supporting them in the most promising markets and fostering concrete opportunities for meetings, knowledge exchange and development.

This commitment is even more strategic in light of the sector’s strong international outlook: the Italian industry of machinery, plants, accessories and special products for glass processing exports more than 70% of its production, a figure that confirms how maintaining a presence in foreign markets is now a fundamental driver of growth for companies in the supply chain.