Rabat - In an effort to expand to the global market, French multinational company Saint-Gobain announced today their partnership with Morocco.
The agreement would set up a joint-venture between Saint-Gobain and Moongypse, a Moroccan exporter of gypsum-based plaster such as tiles, plasterboard, molding plaster, and plaster tiles.
Saint-Gobain, is a leading manufacturer of mirrors, and is now producing construction and high-performance materials.
Moongypse has links to Benin, Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Nigeria, and Togo. According to their website, this agreement will be the first for Moongypse in the Western world.
While phosphates and textiles are among Morocco’s largest exports, these exports have declined over recent years in favor of agricultural products, which account for a large percentage of Morocco’s GDP.
Morocco’s gypsum exports fell from $3,330,619 in 2005 to $2,441,522 in 2010 due to increased attention on agriculture and tourism.
Demand for gypsum has increased in recent years, with countries such as India and Oman taking advantage by exporting larger quantities globally. Morocco may be another country that will profit from gypsum.
In addition to the agreement, Marcel Cobuz, CEO of LafargeHolcim, a manufacturer of building materials, announced today on Twitter their partnership with Saint-Gobain in Morocco.
Within the deal, Cobuz described Saint-Gobain as a “future platform for gypsum products innovation,” taking interest in the future of gypsum exporting in Morocco.
The agreement is still awaiting the approval of the Moroccan government.
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