Turkish composites maker AKSA Composites signs Borj Cedria Ecopark lease, plans a $5 million Tunisia aerospace plant with 50–60 jobs and production in 2028.
Turkish advanced composites manufacturer AKSA Composites has signed an industrial lease agreement with Borj Cedria Ecopark, formalizing its first industrial investment in Africa and adding a Turkish player to Tunisia’s growing aerospace sector.
The Akkök Group subsidiary signed the agreement on Thursday, Sept. 24. It plans to invest about $5 million initially in the project, according to company information.
The new facility will manufacture composite-material components, particularly for the aerospace industry. Its first phase will cover about 3,000 square meters of production space and is expected to create 50 to 60 direct jobs.
Production is expected to begin in 2028, following construction, equipment installation and qualification procedures.
The investment was first announced in July by Jalel Tebib, director general of FIPA-Tunisia, on the sidelines of the fifth Aerospace Meetings Tunisia.
AKSA Composites said skilled technical labor, Tunisia’s developing aerospace ecosystem and the country’s proximity to the European market were among the factors behind its decision.
Aerospace and defense focus
AKSA Composites develops and manufactures composite components and assemblies for the aerospace, defense and space industries. Its capabilities include design, prototyping, composite-part manufacturing, machining, heat treatment, sheet-metal forming, surface treatment and assembly.
The company works with major international aerospace and defense players. It lists Airbus, Bell and KAI among its customers and has ongoing programs with Airbus, Bell Textron and Turkish Aerospace. It also supplies Turkish defense companies including TUSAŞ, ASELSAN, STM and Baykar.
AKSA holds international certifications including AS9100 Rev D and NADCAP certifications for composites and non-destructive testing. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Ankara, it has been 54%-owned by Aksa Akrilik, another Akkök Group company, since 2025.
FIPA has not specified which programs or customers will be directly served from the future Borj Cedria facility. While AKSA Composites’ international customer portfolio illustrates its industrial positioning, it does not establish that the Tunisian plant will manufacture directly for Airbus, Bell or other existing customers.
From Hamburg forum to Tunisia investment
The project traces its origins to contacts established at the Hamburg Aviation Forum in 2025. According to FIPA, the event marked an initial step in discussions between AKSA Composites and Tunisia’s aerospace industry, followed by several months of negotiations and support.
The Sept. 24 agreement marks the transition from investment prospecting to an industrial project.
For Tunisia, the investment adds a Turkish player to an aerospace sector that already comprises more than 85 companies and employs over 20,000 people, according to FIPA data provided in July. The sector generates more than €650 million in exports, according to the Tunisian Aerospace Industries Group, or GITAS.
AKSA Composites also plans to gradually expand its production capacity in Tunisia, potentially paving the way for additional investment phases.
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