WROCLAW – TRANSPORTATION – Bombardier Transportation inaugurated a new 20,000 square meter production and painting hall for high speed train car bodies today at its Wroclaw site in Poland. The opening ceremony was attended by the Canadian Ambassador to Poland, the Honorable Stephen de Boer, as well as customers and partners.
“Bombardier is the largest international investor in the rail transportation industry in Poland. We have more than 1,500 highly skilled employees in Katowice, Lodz, Warsaw and Wroclaw”, said Janusz Kucmin, Chief Country Representative for Poland, Bombardier Transportation. “As we’re investing in a new state-of-the-art car body production hall, we’re developing our employees’ skills, as well as the capabilities of our Wroclaw site. We expect to partner more closely with Poland to further equip the country with our broad and performing portfolio of rail solutions.”
The new hall, equipped with unique 3D laser-welding technology, will support the production ramp-up of car bodies for Deutsche Bahn’s prestigious ICE4 train. With a capital expenditure of almost 250 million PLN ($64 million US, 58 million euro), the new setup represents a significant investment by Bombardier, which will strengthen the role of the Wroclaw site in the railway market.
At 190,300 square meters, Bombardier’s Wroclaw site specializes on the production of modern car bodies and bogie frames for many different railway vehicles. Recent projects include BOMBARDIER TRAXX locomotives which operate in Poland, Europe and in the North American markets, as well as car bodies for the new commuter trains for Hamburg (S-Bahn). Almost 2,400 locomotive car bodies and more than 16,000 bogie frames have been produced in Wroclaw so far.
The site is one of the oldest rolling stock factories in Europe, and the oldest continuously operating rolling stock factory in Poland. Production at the site began in the 1830’s, giving the company about 180 years of rolling stock manufacturing tradition. Bombardier took over the Panstwowa Fabryka Wagonow (PAFAWAG) site in 2001.
About Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is a global leader in rail technology and offers the broadest portfolio in the industry. It covers the full spectrum of rail solutions, ranging from trains to sub-systems and signalling. The company also provides complete transport systems, e-mobility technology and maintenance services. As an innovation driver, Bombardier Transportation continuously breaks new ground in sustainable mobility. It provides integrated solutions that create substantial benefits for operators, passengers and the environment. Headquartered in Berlin, Germany, Bombardier Transportation employs around 39,400 people and its products and services operate in over 60 countries.
