Alstom inaugurates new production site in Valmadrera (Lecco, Italy) dedicated to railway electrification

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  • An average investment of €2 million for 9800 square metres

  • Production of electrification equipment for both the Italian and foreign markets

  • Leadership position in the railway infrastructure and electrification market in Italy and internationally with 90 percent export

3 March 2023 – Alstom, global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, has inaugurated today, in Valmadrera (Lecco, Italy) in the presence of Attilio Fontana, Lombardy Region President, Antonio Rusconi, mayor of Valmadrera, Gian Luca Erbacci, President Europe Alstom Group, Michele Viale, Managing Director of Alstom in Italia and President and CEO of Alstom Ferroviaria  Edoardo Gino, Managing Director Alstom site in Valmadrera – a new plant which will develop and manufacture power transmission components for railway, metro and tram lines.

The new production site confirms Alstom's leadership in the Italian and international railway infrastructure and electrification market, thanks to a hundred years of experience in electric traction systems.

Alstom has made an investment around €2 million in the plant including in new numerical control machinery, a quality laboratory testing machine and automatic storage systems. The Valmedrera site, Group's centre of excellence for the design and construction of Catenary components, conductor rail and APS rail, is spread across 9800 square metres – 8,500 square metres building and 1,300 square metres warehouse facilities – which will enhance an efficient and sustainable production organisation. This new and modern plant will unify production as previously it was divided over two smaller sites in Pescate and Olginate.

"This new plant will tell the story of the excellence that from Valmadrera reaches all over Italy, reaching many other metropolises beyond the borders."

Adolfo Urso
The Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy

The Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, said in his message of greeting, "Today in Valmadrera an Alstom site of international importance is inaugurated, which once again testifies to the attractiveness of our country. This new plant will tell the story of the excellence that from Valmadrera reaches all over Italy, reaching many other metropolises beyond the borders. Railway lines represent a flywheel to accelerate the ecological transition in Italy and Europe, in view of the net-zero goals to 2050, and the PNRR for the railway network alone allocates about 25 billion, proving that the sector must be supported and encourage the whole process of green transformation. In Alstom, you have made sustainability an achievable goal, both in production and in processes: this result is the fruit of farsighted choices made over time, investing in research and development with the creation of the world's first hydrogen train and making the most of many young people specialized in Stem subjects."

"An important and advanced company, a multinational, that has decided to invest again in Lombardy. It is proof that our region continues to be particularly attractive. A company that contributes to that development in sustainable technology that is among the pillars of our program," commented Lombardy Region President Attilio Fontana, who was present at the inauguration of the Alstom plant in Valmadrera. "We are investing a lot to improve rail transport and mobility," the president added during the visit. We have plans for a large road infrastructure that is completely electrified and sustainable. We are implementing many projects that go in the direction that is required by Europe and that we believe can be an opportunity for development. A sustainability with judgment, which also respects the needs of production, economy and society."

"Italy is among the most important countries in Europe, we are investing in the development of smart and sustainable mobility in Italy to help creating an integrated ecosystem of transport, improving the decarbonisation,” said Gian Luca Erbacci, Alstom Group Europe President. “The new Valmadrera plant will be strategic for the whole Group as are exporting 90% of the electrification equipment worldwide."

  • € 2M
    invested by Alstom in the plant for new numerical control machinery, a quality laboratory testing machine and automatic storage systems
  • 8,500
    square metres building
  • 1,300
    square metres warehouse facilities

“This new site has a strong industrial relevance for Alstom in Italy,” said Michele Viale, Managing Director of Alstom in Italy and President and CEO of Alstom Ferroviaria. "We are very confident about the development of this new investment in the Lecco area, which is the Group's centre of excellence for the design and construction of catenary components, conductor rail (such as 3rd rail) and APS rail  (trackside power supply). Unique products are exported all over the world and have contributed to the construction of some of the continent's most important metro and tramway lines such as in Istanbul, Riyadh, Paris, London (Elizabeth line).

In Lecco area, Alstom concentrates the production of electrification material that is then exported not only in Italy, but all over the world (Algeria, Dubai, France, Japan, Greece, Romania, Turkey, UK and many more).  Furthermore, the production is used in the construction of the main railway, metro and tram lines in Europe and worldwide. Specifically, the new site in Valmadrera will oversee the production of Catenary cantilevers and related accessories for electrification of railway lines (Regional, High Speed, Metro), terminal blocks for substations and power distribution lines (Terna), rigid catenary for metro, third rail and APS (power supply from the ground) for metro or tramway lines, and finally power supply lines for overhead travelling cranes.

The employees, engineers and highly specialised personnel, can project into the future with this new site. Alstom has had a true Italian excellence for over a century, with notably the design of the first suspended railway line with load-bearing rope pendants in 1910 between Lecco and Calolzio.

Alstom in Italy has been producing trains for 160 years, signalling and electrification equipment for 90 years. Today, with 9 sites throughout the country and more than 3,600 employees, Alstom is a solid local entrepreneur, recognised as one of the leading companies in the Italian market.

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