FEV and UTAC CERAM to open first automotive development and testing center in Africa in 2021

FEV and UTAC CERAM have joined forces to open the first automotive development and testing center in Africa. The start of the first operations is planned for the second half of 2021. Source: FEV Group / UTAC CERAM

Aachen, December 2020. FEV, a globally leading service provider of vehicle and powertrain development for hardware and software, and UTAC CERAM, an independent service provider in all areas of land transport, have joined forces to operate Africa’s first automotive development and testing center. The start of the first operations is planned for the second half of 2021.

The state of the art development and testing center will be situated in Oued Zem, Morocco, featuring a full range of capabilities:

• Complete endurance and reliability tests on rigs and test tracks
• Vehicle dynamics development and Testing
• Coast down tests on a 4 km track (unique in Europe and Africa)
• Rigs for powertrain development (electric, hybrid and internal combustion engine vehicles)
• Acoustics development and Testing
• Pedestrian impact development and Testing
• Real Driving Emissions (RDE) cycles
• ADAS development, validation and Testing
• Driver training / event planning Services

“Morocco has not only been our gateway to Africa but also to our European customers ever since we’ve opened our engineering office in Casablanca in 2018”, said Nadim Andraos, Executive Vice President for FEV in France, Spain and North Africa. “The country provides a great access base to other regions with a quick connection to Europe, which means we are able to develop genuine synergies. Through our cooperation with UTAC CERAM we’ll take the next logical step."

"The construction of our joint center is part of a growth strategy, which includes anticipation and addressing the needs of our customers”, said Laurent Benoit, CEO of UTAC CERAM. “The decision to choose Morocco was due to its countless advantages and the dynamic policies implemented by the Kingdom with the aim of turning the country into a global hub for the automotive industry.”

Since the launch of the industrial acceleration plan (IAP) in April 2014, Morocco had been implementing a sustainable development strategy for different industries such as the automotive sector. The recent establishment of according R&D centers had driven FEV’s decision to open its Casablanca office in July 2018, which will now be complemented by a cutting edge development and testing center in Oued Zem, 150 km south-east of the metropolis.

“FEV is strengthening its position as a key partner to leading companies in the transportation industry, which includes manufacturers, suppliers, test labs but also schools and universities”, said Andraos. “Our activities in Morocco include performance testing, simulation studies, and powertrain calibration up to the management of turnkey projects like the development of total electric, hybrid and combustion engine vehicles. Additionally we provide testing solutions and instrumentation ranging from equipment and software supply to creating turnkey test benches and even fully operational development and testing centers.”