Adil Touyeb

How important is Morocco for Wilo’s operations?

Wilo is a German company that plays a role in three main segments: building management, water management, and industry. Building management is Wilo’s main core business since the 1872s. Water management is another vital sector and is the most leveraged for the growth of the group. Linked to the water management segment, Morocco is one of the countries facing the greatest challenges because of climate changes, and the water strategy in the country is a priority at the government level. Morocco definitely needs huge desalination plants, which goes with the strategy of having accessible prices for energy. This is also why in the past few decades we launched renewable projects to take control of energy costs. We aim to have these projects for big power-demanding projects such as desalination. In March 2021, we heard confirmation of the largest desalination plant in Africa being built in Casablanca. In Agadir in the south, there was a similar project launched in 2015, and it will be commissioned in summer 2021. The CAPEX is more than EUR200-300 million. Water management and movement is huge in Morocco, and there is huge demand for water. In addition, agriculture contributes over 15% of Morocco’s GDP. We need to improve the added value for a final product in agriculture and increase exports, and all these come with water. Politically speaking, there will be huge investments coming over the next few years. This is good for Wilo—we are in the right place with solid solutions and products.

Is environmental consciousness at the forefront of your operations and strategy when looking ahead?

When it comes to the environment, we need to emphasize the fact that Wilo has been ranked among the 50 leaders among companies in terms of climate change. We are partnered with the UN for the SDGs. Among the 17 SDGs, we have six incorporated into our strategy to illustrate the importance that Wilo as a group places on environmental topics. That goes hand in hand with the vision of Morocco to become a green country and promote renewable energy.