Australian engineering group John Holland has acquired the RCR O’Donnell Griffin Rail business following the collapse of parent company RCR Tomlinson into administration in November. Around 400 employees will transfer. The administrator said the RCR Rail business had ‘an outstanding track record, with highly-skilled staff and a blue-chip client base’, which made it ‘a strategic fit’ for John Holland. Its current projects include enhancement work on the Melbourne Underground Rail Loop and work on the Auckland City Rail Link in a joint venture with Opus International Consultants.
Airport transfer and coach ticketing distributor Distribusion Technologies GmbH now offers tickets for Kuala Lumpur’s Express Rail Link through its network of more than 30 retail partners, 8 000 travel agencies and 20 airlines in more than 40 countries. ‘Through this partnership, we are able to expand our customer base globally and help travellers feel welcomed to the country by providing a comfortable and safe ride’, said ERL Chief Executive Noormah Mohd Noor.
Thailand’s transport ministry is studying the possibility of setting up a local rolling stock assembly plant, according to Deputy Transport Minister Pailin Chuchottaworn. This would reduce the need for imports, and could supply planned railway projects both domestically and across southeast Asia. He said investors from Germany, Japan and South Korea were interested in the Thai market, and a plant could be opened within three years.
The Greenbrier Companies delivered 4 500 wagons in its financial first quarter to November 30 2018, with ‘diversified’ orders for 5 400 worth $560m. The backlog was 27 500 units with an estimated value of $2·7bn. Net earnings were $18m on revenue of $605m, with adjusted EBITDA of $58m. Chairman & CEO William A Furman said the company ‘expects international growth to continue from Europe and Brazil as the year progresses, with activity in the nations of the Gulf Co-operation Council and Eurasia growing over time’. Developing a ‘pipeline of talent’ to strengthen the workforce is a key strategic objective for 2019, he added.
SNC-Lavalin subsidiary Atkins has appointed Lizi Stewart as Managing Director of its Transportation Division in the UK & Europe with effect from February 1. She joins the business from Arcadis, where she was the Managing Director of Highways & Aviation.
Thomas Schöpf became Chief Sales Officer at Plasser & Theurer on January 1, following the retirement of Gerhard Polterauer. Schöpf was previously Chief Operating Officer at Kapsch CarrierCom.