Tétouan, January 15, 2025 – JTI officially opened its factory in Tetouan Park. The inauguration ceremony was held in the presence of JTI senior management, including Mr Phil Livingston, JTI’s Global Supply Chain Senior Vice-President; Mr John Freda, Regional President for MENEAT (Middle East, Near East, Africa and Turkey); and Mr Jose Luis Amador, General Manager for Northern and Western Africa as well as Mr. Ahmed Bennis, Managing Director of Tanger Med Zones (TMZ), and representatives of public authorities, and was honored by the presence of H.E. Mr. Nakata Masahiro, Ambassador of Japan to the Kingdom of Morocco, and H.E. Mr. Valentin Zellweger, Ambassador of Switzerland to the Kingdom of Morocco.
Construction of the new state-of-the-art factory was approved by the National Investment Commission in January 2024, as part of the new 2023 Investment Charter and the import substitution policy for “Made in Morocco” initiated in 2020. JTI invested over 930 million MAD (around 100 million USD) in the factory which will provide 170 new local jobs.
A little over three years after choosing Morocco as its operational hub for the Northern & Western Africa cluster, managing 12 markets from Casablanca, JTI takes a new step forward, paving the way for further development in the region. Mr Jose Luis Amador highlighted during the ceremony: “This important milestone confirms our strong commitment to Morocco’s economic and social development, and the beginning of a new era for JTI in Northern & Western Africa. Morocco provides all the ingredients we need to plan and grow our business, with access to great talent, solid infrastructure, and business partners who supported us throughout. I would also like to extend my gratitude, to the Moroccan authorities and government agencies at national, regional, and local level, who helped us bring this project to life. This collaboration was exemplary, as demonstrated by the presence of their respective representatives in today’s ceremony.”
Mr Phil Livingston added: “We are always looking at ways to optimize our global manufacturing footprint to ensure we are more flexible, more efficient and more resilient. We are very proud to officially inaugurate our newest factory here in Morocco –which now extends our operations to 37 locations worldwide.”
The factory’s initial production capacity of five billion cigarettes per year is strategically aligned with the national policy of import substitution, ensuring it meets the needs of the domestic market. Looking ahead, JTI will also collaborate with Moroccan authorities to explore possible export opportunities, especially to West-African markets, taking advantage of the facility’s pre-planned expansion capability. This could bring its production capacity to ten billion cigarettes per year, further leveraging Morocco’s potential as a regional industrial and logistical hub.
Mr. Ahmed BENNIS, Managing Director of Tanger Med Zones (TMZ), commented: “The success of Japanese companies established within the Tanger Med industrial platform underscores the appeal of our industrial ecosystem, built on competitiveness, innovation, and sustainability. The arrival of Japan Tobacco International (JTI) in Tétouan Park further strengthens this momentum and adds greater diversity to our industrial landscape.”
The new plant, which took less than 18 months to complete, is built on a 4,7 hectares land plot with a built-up area of 18,000 m². It will cover more than 30% of its consumption needs through solar energy and adopt innovative and energy-efficient technologies – in line with JTI’s stringent standards and the JT Group’s overall sustainability goals. Examples include LED lighting, rainwater collection and water recycling structures, and automated management systems for lighting, air conditioning, and heating.
Committed to meeting consumer needs and exceeding expectations, JTI’s new plant adopts the same stringent quality controls as all its other facilities worldwide, at every stage of production. The Company is committed to consistently deliver reliable, high-quality products that meet the highest industry standards.
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About JTI
JTI, a member of the JT Group, is a modern and dynamic international company, passionate about quality and innovation. It sells its products in over 130 markets with the goal of bringing exceptional tobacco and nicotine experiences to its adult consumers. JTI is the global owner of both Winston and Camel, respectively the second and third largest combustible brands in the world. Other global brands include MEVIUS and LD. It is also present in the Reduced-Risk Products category with its heated tobacco brand, Ploom, vaping brand, Logic, and Nordic Spirit nicotine pouches. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the Company employs over 46,000 people and was awarded Global Top Employer for the eleventh consecutive year in 2025. For more information, visit www.jti.com.
JTI chose Morocco as the hub for its Northern Africa cluster in 2011 and expanded it to Western Africa in 2022. The JTI products sold in Morocco are Camel, Winston, Glamour, Monte Carlo, and LD.
JTI has been certified as a Top Employer for the 8th consecutive year in Morocco in 2025. Additionally, it ranks #1 among certified Top Employer companies in the country for the 4th consecutive year, reaffirming its status as a leading national and international employer.
