Mohamed Lahlou, President of the Board, Higher School of Textile and Clothing Industries (ESITH)

ESITH has been crucial in helping the local textiles sector grow more competitive and better face international competition.

ESITH was established as a result of a pioneering PPP that has been replicated at other schools. What have been the main milestones of ESITH in the last 24 years?

The textile and clothing sector around the 1980s represented a real social and economic force and was represented by a dynamic association, AMITH, which sought to create a school of textile engineers to strengthen the supervision of companies and their competitive capacities to better face international competition. From the beginning, AMITH defended that the mission of the school must be completely different from other conventional engineering schools. The school is organized around three cycles of engineering training, specialized master’s, and professional bachelor's. This has allowed the development of new sectors, which has resulted in a real diversification of training and, by the same, a real opening of all industrial and service sectors. 2007 represented an extremely significant milestone due to the creation of an R&D department composed of two laboratories: research laboratory on textile materials (REMTEX) and center of excellence in logistics (CELOG). Since its creation, this department has established solid relationships with various Moroccan, European, and Canadian research centers resulting in more than a dozen applied research projects, the publication of more than 100 scientific articles, and 24 patents at the national and international levels. In parallel to research and development, ESITH paid particular attention to the establishment and development of the Laboratory of Expertise and Control (LEC), which represents a profit center serving businesses in all industrial sectors supporting their quality approach. Throughout this period, ESITH had to carry out important operations; one example is the creation of the higher school of creation and fashion (Casa Moda Academy) and the training and support of the human resources of international companies during their establishment in Morocco.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has disrupted many economies and sectors worldwide. How do you foresee the Moroccan textile sector being affected in the medium term?

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted the textile and clothing industry in terms of orders, both nationally and internationally. Indeed, the sector suddenly found itself in a confused and almost chaotic situation, though most industrialists within the framework of their AMITH association sought to carry out serious initiatives. Very quickly, the production of masks and gowns for both the general public and medical staff opened up entirely new and potentially important niches. The mobilization of industrialists was impressive in terms of the reconversion of industrial potential to manufacture new products, producing, after four weeks, 3 million masks per day and now more than 10 million per day. This exemplary mobilization shows that, as in the past, the textile and clothing sector displays resilience and has been able to adapt, finding ways and means to continue to be present in a competitive exporting sector. Given the geopolitical position of Morocco, we remain optimistic about the future of the textile and clothing sector. The mobilization of industrialists and the appropriate support from public authorities could generate real momentum by the long-awaited deployment of the upstream sector and technical textiles, which represent a major source of development.

How did ESITH adapt its operations to the current situation, and what is your main focus during this crisis?

Faced with the exceptional situation and the general lockdown decided by the government, ESITH had to face two major concerns: the continuity of student training and supporting industrialists in their retraining to manufacture masks and gowns. In terms of initial training, our response was extremely reactive. We set up two crisis units, one to manage the operation of human resources,

administration, and school infrastructure, and another entirely dedicated to guaranteeing educational continuity and overseeing distance learning. This upheaval in the pedagogical approach is so significant that it will open up new hybrid training methods post COVID-19. In terms of support for companies, ESITH has been extremely responsive. LEC, its laboratory, actively participated in developing the standards and technical specifications of face masks with the Ministry of Industry (IMANOR). At the same time, ESITH, thanks to a team of experienced engineers and technicians, developed and shared innovative methods to optimize the production of masks. In addition, we have launched three free online training cycles to improve the management skills of companies and hospitals to better cope with this crisis.

The sector is headed toward several areas such as Industry 4.0, waste reduction, and digitalization/automation. How well prepared is the textile industry in Morocco for this shift?

The textile and clothing sector, made up of more than 1,000 companies, comprises 90% SMEs and SMIs, and clothing companies represent around 80% of the total and upstream textiles 20%. Upstream companies are more capital intensive, use fewer people per million dirhams invested, and are fairly well organized. Those in the clothing industry are much more disparate, due to the fact that some work 100% in subcontracting, others in co-contracting, others in a hybrid subcontracting and co-contracting, and others in finished product. Each of these groups of companies represents approximately a certain type of organization and management mode that predisposes if they are receptive to the fields of Industry 4.0, waste reduction, digitalization, and automation. Waste reduction should normally be of interest to all companies, because it is part of the obligation to reduce the manufacturing cost. Ecological specifications are also increasingly used by prime contractors, and national regulations also represent great means of awareness and pressure for reducing waste. In terms of finishing, we are witnessing an acceleration in the use of digital printing, which is more flexible and more ecological. For Industry 4.0, we find multiple applications and varying degrees at the level of large textile and clothing companies that have the financial and human resources to implement production processes of intelligent technologies, monitoring software, or collecting information for better production management. The digitalization of machines to varying degrees is becoming increasingly conventional, and most equipment suppliers have integrated it into the designs of their machines.

Since ESITH was founded, how has the importance of the textile industry evolved from the government’s point of view?

The textiles and clothing sector has always represented a particular importance in terms of employment and exports, with more than 180,000 jobs and USD3.8 billion in exports while covering a good part of the needs of the national consumption that is about USD5 billion. It is true that Morocco has opted for an open liberal economy, and most of its free trade agreements are loss-making for various reasons. Healthy competition is welcome because it forces manufacturers to watch over their competitiveness and the quality of their products; however, when this competition becomes unfair, a reaction to the revision of the conditions of the agreements is needed to find the bases of a winwin agreement. Four ministries (industry, finance, higher education and vocational training) are part of the supervisory board of ESITH, and since its creation ESITH has always received the support it needs for the development of the sector. The textile industry is fairly cyclical for various reasons, and AMITH has always negotiated appropriate solutions to support and revive the sector. The COVID-19 situation will weaken hundreds of businesses, and the government is gradually putting in place support measures to get through this serious crisis without much loss. The government with AMITH must find the panoply of measures to allow, beyond the crisis, companies to move upmarket and in added value with a stronger integration of the sector. Likewise, mobilization is necessary to discover new markets and attract FDI and national investors.

Looking to the future, and once the current crisis is behind us, what are your main goals for ESITH?

Since its creation 25 years ago, ESITH has always tried to anticipate the needs of the textile and clothing sector. Although our school is focused on textiles and clothing, it will continue to provide general and multi-disciplinary training. Our 2021-2025 strategy, which is currently being finalized, is based on our four pillars: initial training, business service, research and development, and our LEC expertise and control laboratory. Our ambition is to integrate the digitalization of processes at all levels and for the expert teaching staff, support staff, and students absorb our leitmotifs “learning to learn” and “learning to innovate and share.” We will ensure that our expertise and know-how remain at the cutting edge of progress by enriching our network of partnerships on a national and international scale, taking care to implement the disciplines of the future and acquiring equipment and tools that will allow the school to remain a locomotive for the textile, clothing, and other industrial and service sectors. The transformation of the industrial sectors requires more seasoned, agile, curious, and reactive skills. ESITH will mobilize to meet its qualitative needs and contribute quantitatively from 1,200 students in initial training to 1,800 and 200 masters in continuing education to 800 in 2025. The direction of studies and research and development must be in line with the support of the school authorities to ensure the skills expected from our future graduates. The industrial fabric of the country, made up of more than 95% of SMEs and SMIs, awaits serious support for its survival and future development. All the resources of the school will be made available to meet these challenges. These commitments may seem too ambitious but they are essential and achievable with the support of the ministries concerned.