Somaca
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1959 |
| Founder | Simca (subsidiary of Fiat) |
| Headquarters | Morocco |
| Products | Automobiles (Kangoo, Kangoo Express, Dacia Logan, Sandero) |
Number of employees | 1200 |
| Parent | Renault |
Somaca () is an automotive manufacturer based in Morocco, established in 1959 by the subsidiary Simca of Fiat. Presently, the French corporation Renault holds the majority ownership.
History
Somaca was created in 1959 with technical collaboration from both Fiat S.p.A. and Simca, initially operating under Fiat's guidance. Production by Fiat ended in 2003 when it divested a 26% share to Renault. By 2005, Renault had expanded its ownership to 80%, purchasing the controlling interest from Fiat and thereby gaining dominant control over Somaca.
Factory
The manufacturing facility covers an area of 90,000 m2, employs approximately 1,200 staff members, and contains two assembly lines. These lines have been producing the Kangoo and Kangoo Express models since 1999 for domestic consumption, as well as the Dacia Logan starting in 2005 for export markets including France and Spain. From 2009 onwards, Somaca has also assembled the Sandero model, with a production volume of 41,236 units recorded that year.
Other Renault operations in Morocco
In February 2012, King Mohammed VI and Carlos Ghosn officially opened the Renault Tanger Méditerranée plant located in Tangiers, which specializes in manufacturing affordable vehicles. The site spans 300 hectares and was designed to produce up to 400,000 cars annually; however, production reached only 100,000 units between its inauguration and September 2013.
The Tangiers plant functions under the entity "Renault Tanger Mediterranée," a partnership between Fipar-Holding—a subsidiary of Morocco’s pension fund Caisse de dépôt et de gestion holding 47.6%—and Renault SAS. The initial capital investment comprised MAD1 billion in bank loans from Moroccan financial institutions, supplemented by €400 million in contributions—€200 million from Fipar-Holding and €173.5 million provided by the Moroccan government via a European Investment Bank loan.
In Morocco, Renault vehicles are marketed through Renault Maroc, a joint venture between Renault SAS and SNI, which is King Mohammed VI's holding company owning a 20% share.
Renault and Dacia automobiles enjoy advantageous non-tariff trade conditions within Morocco, benefiting from a reduced VAT rate of 7%, compared to the standard 20% VAT imposed on competing brands.