Railmaker Wabtec Targets $30 Million in Exports from India Operations
A senior executive of Wabtec Corporation, a multinational manufacturer of rail parts, has stated that the company aims to increase its exports from India by tenfold within the next three years. To strengthen its presence in India, the company has inaugurated a manufacturing facility in the city with an investment of Rs 150 crore.
“Our current exports from India are $3-4 million, and we plan to multiply this number ten times to $30 million in the next three years”, Pascal Schweitzer, global president of the firm’s transit business, said. Schweitzer was among the company's top executives present for the inauguration, along with Senior Vice-President and India Regional Leader Sujatha Narayan and Managing Director—Transit India Ajay Mani.
The new plant will start by producing transit rail components and subsystems, and will later expand to include other Wabtec product lines. “We intend to grow this site with plans to invest an additional $10 million (Rs 80 crore) over the next few years”, said Narayan. “We currently employ 300 people and as the business grows, we intend to add another 200 employees with a keen focus on diversity hires”.
Following its contract to supply 1,000 diesel locomotives for Indian Railways, Wabtec Corporation emerged as one of the foremost generators of foreign direct investment in the railways sector. Narayan noted that 600 locomotives have already been delivered to the railways from its manufacturing facility in Marhowra, Bihar. It is anticipated that the company will complete the delivery of all 1,000 locomotives by 2027-28.
After the national transporter decided to shift away from diesel for its operations and move aggressively towards electrification, Wabtec, which globally specializes in diesel locomotives, has been trying to capture the rail components space. The 10,000-square-metre factory will start by producing axle-mounted disc brake systems, distributor valves, brake callipers, actuators, friction material for freight cars, metro coaches, and locomotives for Indian Railways and metros.
Anticipated to accommodate numerous products catering to the rail, mining, and industrial sectors in the forthcoming months and years, this campus aligns with the company's strategy of enhancing localization within its supply chain for India. Previously, Wabtec operated plants in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, and Bahadurgarh, Haryana, which have now been consolidated into the Rohtak facility. Considering future business prospects, the company intends to persist in capital investments at this location.
In January, the company secured a significant brake system order from Siemens India's mobility business for the 9,000 HP locomotive project of Indian Railways. Valued at $157 million (Rs 1,300 crore), the order is aimed at enhancing operating performance, efficiency, and safety through cutting-edge technology for the new line of 1,200 electric locomotives. Wabtec boasts a foundation of subsystems installed in more than 18,000 LHB coaches and locomotives, employing 3,000 individuals across its Indian campuses.