Alstom sees a secure future in Bautzen

The French rail vehicle manufacturer Alstom sees its future at the Bautzen site secured by major orders. The first step has now been taken with the inauguration of a new production line for regional trains.

The 2.3 million euro facility will initially produce 34 trains for Romania. According to the company, the order is worth around 400 million euros. The so-called Coradia Stream electric trains are an Alstom classic. There are already 4000 trains of this type in operation in Europe. Until now, the approximately 1100 employees in Bautzen had completed orders from the time when the Bautzen plant belonged to the Canadian Bombardier Group. Alstom took over Bombardier's train division in 2021.

Large order for Bautzen from the Rhineland

Another major order is to be realized in Bautzen from 2027. It concerns the delivery of 90 local trains with ten carriages each for the S-Bahn in the Rhineland. The S-Bahn trains are to be delivered from 2029 to 2033. Alstom in Bautzen will also be responsible for the maintenance and repair of the trains over the next three decades or so. "This location has an immense future," said Müslüm Yakisan, Head of Germany at Alstom. The contract for the S-Bahn in Cologne and the surrounding area is the largest contract ever awarded in Germany for local transportation. According to Alstom, it is worth more than four billion euros. Yakisan spoke of a "generational contract". In the future, Bautzen will also build suburban trains for Hamburg and double-decker trains for Israel.

According to Yakisan, regional vehicles are the largest market in Europe. The aim is to establish Bautzen as an integral part of Alstom. After around 180 years of history in Bautzen, the company wants to continue producing in Bautzen for "at least the next 180 years".

Kretschmer: Saxony must remain an industrial state

"For us, it is crucial that we remain an industrial state. It is crucial for us that these are jobs that are bound by collective agreements. Based on this broad line, we are also prepared to support change," said Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU). "If we stick together, if we unite, then we will achieve a great deal." With regard to the order from Cologne, Kretschmer spoke of a "cool thing". When you travel around the Rhineland and see the rolling stock there, you get the impression that Bautzen is doing "a bit of 'Aufbau West'".

The Bautzen CDU politician Marko Schiemann saw the inauguration of the new production line as a "clear signal to strengthen the Alstom site in Upper Lusatia": "This means that the most modern rail vehicle production site in Europe can continue to be made fit for the future. Now all the far
further framework conditions for the company's accessibility by rail must be built. We finally need the new rail connection via the future Bautzen Süd rail competence center."

Future of Alstom plant in Görlitz still open

Yakisan also commented on the future of the Görlitz Alstom plant, the sale of which is under discussion, on the sidelines of the meeting. The manager said that every effort was being made to make industrial jobs in Görlitz fit for the future. "We are still working on that. It's not that easy because Görlitz has a different know-how embedded in it than Bautzen. We have a collective agreement for the future that is valid until 2026. We will definitely stick to it." They want to use this period for the future. "We are talking to many industrial partners." Görlitz has the expertise for mechanical engineering. No paper bags will be produced there in future.

The aim now is to continue this positive development in rail vehicle construction, said Kretschmer with regard to Görlitz. "My goal is a special fund for Deutsche Bahn so that not only infrastructure, but also rail vehicles can be built."