Alstom celebrates 35 years of excellence in high voltage in Itajubá, Brazil

Alstom is celebrating the 35th anniversary of its high voltage equipment manufacturing site located in the city of Itajubá (Minas Gerais State). The site employs around 500 people and produces the widest range of high voltage equipment for the power transmission market, including instrument transformers, air core reactors, block coils, circuit breakers, power capacitors and disconnecting switches.

In 2011, Alstom invested around R$ 10 million in a new production line for power capacitors. Capacitors are widely used in transmission systems to help save energy and improve power quality. When applied in static compensators, they are used for power factor correction, harmonic filtering and voltage control; and in series compensation, they improve transmission line capacity and system stability. This recent development demonstrates Alstoms commitment to its growth plans in Brazil and consolidates Itajubá as a center of excellence in high voltage equipment.

Present in Brazil for over 57 years and in Itajubá for 35, Alstom contributes to the development of the local infrastructure. We are proud to partner with customers, universities and employees to deliver successful projects both in Brazil and all over the world with the participation of Itajubá s community, says Flávio Veneroso, director of the Itajubá site of Alstom Brazil.

During the last 35 years, Alstom Brazil has formed partnerships with several universities, notably through its Itajubá site Unifei (Federal University of Itajubá), conducting research and supporting the integration of engineering professionals into the labor market. The company has also developed strong social ties with the local community through the Pescar Project. Since 2004, this program aims at helping technically qualifying young people prepare for the labor market, through activities designed to support their education and cultural, social and professional development.

Alstom Grid is in charge of important power transmission projects in Brazil, such as the North-South 3 Project, which includes substations for the third circuit of the Brazils North-South transmission line; the Viana project, which improved the reliability of the electrical network in Espírito Santo; as well as the worlds largest transmission line, which will connect the hydro plants of Madeira river (Rondônia) to the Brazilian Southeast region.

Alstom has over 5,000 employees in Brazil, based in eight manufacturing sites.

About Alstom
Alstom is a world leader in rail transport and power and transmission infrastructure, and is at the forefront of innovative technologies that respect the environment. Alstom builds the fastest train and the automated metros with greatest capacity in the world, supplies integrated turnkey plants and associated services to a wide range of power sources, including hydro, nuclear, gas, coal and wind, and offers several solutions for power transmission, focused on smart grids. The Group employs 92,000 people in over 100 countries. It registered sales of 20 billion in 2010/11 and closed 2011-2012 with approximately 22 billion in orders.

Alstom Grid has over 100 years of expertise in electrical networks. Whether it is for public utilities or electro-intensive industries, or to facilitate the trade of power, Alstom Grid brings energy to clients projects. Alstom Grid is among the 3 largest companies in the power transmission sector, with annual sales revenue of over 4 billion. It has 20,000 employees and over 90 manufacture and engineering units around the world. At the Smart Grids development center, Alstom Grid offers integrated products, services and solutions for power management all over the value chain from power generation and transmission and distribution networks to the end user.

Press Contacts
Mariana Maciel (Alstom Brazil and Latin America): Tel: + 55 11 3612-7074
mariana.maciel@crn.alstom.com