Tunisia: EIB provides EUR 21m loan to Tunisian One Tech group to accelerate development of its innovative products

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and One Tech announced today that they have concluded a EUR 21m financing agreement.

This key financing operation will support investments in the company’s fixed assets aimed primarily at strengthening and modernising its cable and mechatronic product manufacturing capacity. One Tech also intends to invest in research, development and innovation in these fields.

By contributing to the creation of more than 720 permanent jobs in Tunisia, the EIB’s financial support for this project will not only stimulate innovation, but also economic growth in a region falling under the EU’s cohesion objective. These investments will also help to disseminate knowledge in the area of advanced manufacturing technology. The project will be carried out between 2017 and 2020 in the promoter's existing facilities on different sites in Tunisia, and to a lesser degree on a site in Morocco.

The Tunisian company specialises in the production of printed circuits, electronic and mechanical assemblies, connectors and cabling. These products are used for automotive applications and in the energy, telecommunications and information and communication technologies (ICT) sectors. The mechatronic products, such as electronic components and mechatronic modules, are designed for automotive, aerospace and industrial applications.

EIB Vice-President Román Escolano said: "Supporting innovation and companies is one of the priorities of the European Union's bank. It is our responsibility to create optimum conditions for financing modernisation and research in the energy, automobile and information and communication technologies sectors."