On the 7th of October, University Mohammed VI Polytechnic formalized the consortium agreement for the Africa Center of Manufacturing Excellence (ACME) on the sidelines of the Marrakech Airshow 2026.
The consortium brings together Morocco’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, the National Defense Administration, Boeing, OCP Group, Lockheed Martin, CETIM, Safran Nacelles, and Airbus. The agreement establishes a framework for cooperation between Moroccan institutions and international industrial partners to strengthen Morocco's advanced manufacturing capabilities and support their development across Africa.
Based at UM6P’s Nouaceur site, ACME will provide a shared platform for research, technological development, and industrial applications. Through shared technical infrastructure, coordinated research programs, and training delivered by the ACME Academy, the center aims to connect scientific expertise with industrial needs while supporting technology transfer, supply chain development, and skills advancement.
The consortium will focus on areas including advanced materials, additive manufacturing, machining, composite processing, industrial automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, metrology, and non-destructive testing. Research and development projects will be conducted collaboratively or designed to address specific industrial needs, supporting the development, testing, and validation of manufacturing technologies.
The agreement also defines governance, funding, and intellectual property arrangements to facilitate cooperation among consortium members, while allowing additional industrial and scientific partners to join under the established membership framework.