Skip to main content

North African roads

Morocco has a rapidly expanding road network, which is benefiting from expertise offered by French contractor Colas. The quality of Morocco's roads is higher than in many other African countries, with much of this due to the use of the latest road construction technology by Colas. It previously took almost two days to go from Casablanca to Tan Tan in the south and this journey now takes less than eight hours. Colas has some 800 machines and vehicles in Morocco, with 70 graders, 70 wheeled loaders, 50 excava
February 8, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Morocco has a rapidly expanding road network, which is benefiting from expertise offered by French contractor 184 Colas. The quality of Morocco's roads is higher than in many other African countries, with much of this due to the use of the latest road construction technology by Colas.

It previously took almost two days to go from Casablanca to Tan Tan in the south and this journey now takes less than eight hours. Colas has some 800 machines and vehicles in Morocco, with 70 graders, 70 wheeled loaders, 50 excavators, 50 compactors, 30 bulldozers, six articulated haulers and a lot of smaller vehicles. 2394 Volvo supplies 30 of these larger machines, including G900 graders, L120F wheel loaders, excavators of 22-45tonnes and a dozen asphalt pavers including Volvo's latest ABG7820 paver. Colas has doubled its business in Morocco over the last five years, benefiting from increased government spending on its road network.

However, harsh conditions make building roads in desert conditions difficult. The heat affects the wearing course, but this can be solved using admixtures to the asphalt, however the occasional rainstorm breaks up the structure and can be heavy and destructive. Meanwhile traffic volumes have grown significantly and the country has had to develop its network significantly. With contracts to build 150km of highway near Morocco's border with Mauritania, a 40km road through the mountains near Casablanca and a host of other projects, Colas hopes to win more business in the future.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Latest innovations in GPS and machine control
    February 22, 2012
    Modern satellite technology is making life easier for everyone on the construction site and in the office. Most major equipment manufacturers are now integrating GPS machine control systems into the design of excavators, bulldozers, pavers, and motor graders. For stake-less work it is a major component for automatic grading, surveying, and excavating systems, with contractors and construction companies using GPS machine control systems to improve operations.
  • Haul truck developments
    October 31, 2022
    Several key manufacturers are offering improved designs for the ADT market, with new names also entering this segment
  • Wirtgen: low-emission recycling near Legoland
    March 22, 2024
    Wirtgen, Vögele and Hamm were on a section of the busy E45 highway close to the famous Legoland resort at Billlund, Denmark.
  • SDLG wheeled loaders for Moscow’s new roads and buildings
    March 28, 2014
    Two factories in Russia’s greater Moscow region are using SDLG wheeled loaders to help distribute sand and gravel for use in new roads being built across the region With Russia one of the world’s fastest growing market economies, its need for infrastructure expansion has meant more roads and, as a result, a massive increased need for sand and gravel production. Two sand and gravel factories near Moscow are said to be helping produce the new roads, sidewalks, and also, buildings.