Italian group Novation Tech opens first African production site in Monastir

Novation Tech, the Italian group specialising in composites and carbon fibre transformation for the automotive industry, has inaugurated its first African production facility in Sahline, within the Neopark technopole in Monastir governorate. The move, formalised at an inauguration ceremony on April 15, 2026, marks the group's debut industrial presence on the African continent and follows a planned investment of €22 million over four years, with a first phase of approximately €7 million launched in 2024 to cover infrastructure setup and the start of production.

"The quality of Tunisian human capital, geographic proximity to Europe, and Tunisia’s strategic position as a 'natural bridge between Europe and Africa,'" said Italian Ambassador to Tunisia Alessandro Prunas, highlighting the factors that helped secure the project.

Context and details

The new Monastir facility will focus on the production of automotive components made from composite materials, positioning itself in a high-value-added segment of European industrial supply chains where material lightness and performance are critical. Novation Tech has built its reputation on processing composites and carbon fibre not only for automotive clients but also for other technical sectors such as aerospace, sports and industrial equipment.

• Location: Sahline, Neopark technopole, Monastir governorate, Tunisia.
• Investment: Total estimated at €22 million over four years; first phase ~€7 million launched in 2024.
• Inauguration: April 15, 2026.
• Focus: Composite-material automotive components and other high-performance technical applications.

Until the Monastir opening, Novation Tech's industrial footprint was predominantly European, with sites in Italy, Hungary and Croatia, alongside its main headquarters in Italy. The company has pursued a strategy of proximity to European markets and optimisation of production capacity; establishing the Tunisian plant is described by the group as a step to diversify manufacturing bases while bringing part of its production closer to Europe.

Outlook

Novation Tech said the Tunisian plant will strengthen its production capacity to meet growing demand for composite materials in the automotive industry and help optimise logistics costs through Tunisia's geographic proximity to Europe. The project’s phased investment profile — beginning with the roughly €7 million infrastructure and start-up phase in 2024 — signals a gradual ramp-up intended to integrate the new unit into existing European supply chains.

For Tunisia, the arrival of Novation Tech adds another specialised manufacturer to the Neopark technopole, reinforcing the country’s appeal to firms seeking lower-cost, strategically located production close to European customers and access to skilled technical labour. The Monastir site represents an explicit example of a European supplier relocating specific high-value-added manufacturing operations to North Africa while maintaining strategic ties to European markets.