Alstom Southern Africa One Year on After the Bombardier Transportation Acquisition, What's Next?

Railways Africa Magazine

Officially a year since Bombardier Transport become part of the Alstom group. Making this an ideal opportunity to connect with Bernard Peille, Managing Director Southern Africa, ALSTOM. In this Coffee with the Editor, we discuss the changes to the group locally and what the future holds for both South Africa and Southern Africa. Especially, now as the product portfolio has been expanded. In South Africa, the Alstom group is actively involved in passenger rail through the delivery of PRASA’s new rolling stock programme, the Xtrapolis fleet through Gibela. Alstom Ubunye, their rail manufacturing factory, is supplying components to Gibela, including end-under-frames, bogies and bogie frames. Looming products and other electrical components. The Isando manufacturing plant, previously a Bombardier Transport facility, is focused on propulsion systems, producing high-power traction converter systems for the Traxx 3300 platform. Alstom will continue to deliver the TRAXX locomotives to Transnet. In addition, with the transfer of Bombardier to the Group, Alstom is now actively involved with the Gautrain. Alstom Southern African is participating in a number of projects outside of South Africa. Bernard highlights signalling projects in Tanzania and Zambia, as well as, opportunities they are exploring in Namibia, Botswana, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe amongst others.