Business
TGV: Alstom Announces an Investment Plan of Over 150 Million Euros
French rail manufacturer Alstom announced on Friday an investment plan of over 150 million euros to increase production capacity at its sites in France, particularly for high-speed trains (TGV).
This «unprecedented » plan aims to «meet the growing demand of the French and international rail market, especially for very high-speed trains », according to a statement from the industrial group, which presents itself as a «global leader in smart and sustainable mobility».
«The very high-speed market is currently experiencing strong growth, and Alstom is delighted to see the growing interest in its two-level Avelia Horizon train, a truly unique offering on the market today», explained Frédéric Wiscart, President of Alstom France, quoted in the statement.
And added that «this unprecedented program for the Group will enable us to meet our current commitments and strengthen Alstom’s industrial base with innovative technologies stemming from Industry 4.0, to better serve our customers».
Concretely, the program will increase the production capacity of the group at several French sites, with part of the investment (20%, or over 30 million euros) directly dedicated to opening a new assembly line for Avelia very high-speed trains at Valenciennes Petite-Forêt, a first for this site in the North department, in the Hauts-de-France region.
Alstom’s Avelia Horizon very high-speed train is the latest generation of two-level trains capable of traveling at speeds over 300 km/h, it is noted.
The new investments will be accompanied by the hiring of at least 1,000 people in France in 2025, according to the group, which also expects this plan to «generate or secure nearly 2,500 jobs» among its French suppliers.
