Canada: Amsted Industries opened a Canadian arm on April 2. Based in Boucherville, Quebec, Amsted Canada Inc will provide combined sales and support for ASF-Keystone Inc, Brenco/QBS and Griffin Wheel Co.
Czech Republic: CKD Vagonka's Ostrava-Vitkovice passenger rolling stock plant was opened by Prime Minister Milos Zeman on March 23. The works is leased from steel maker Zelezarny Vitkovice under an agreement signed on November 1.
France: The name Alstom Transport Information Solutions was adopted by Alstom's signalling business from March 31.
Great Britain: Mayflower Aerospace & Rail Systems was created in March. It is owned by Mayflower Corp (25%), Bridgepoint Capital (37·5%) and Lloyds TSB Development Capital (37·5%). Mayflower contributed 100% of the assets of Mayflower Technical Services, and MAR simultaneously acquired Trim Engineering Ltd for £38m.
Italy: On March 30 Fiat sold its remaining 49% interest in Alstom Ferroviaria to Mediocredito Centrale. Cash proceeds from the sale were approximately 147m euros. Fiat had sold the other 51% to Alstom on October 18 2000.
Finmeccanica's results for the year to December 31 2000 have revealed an operating loss of 99bn lire made by its Transportation businesses (RG 4.01 p259), down from an operating profit of 62bn lire in 1999 and due primarily to losses incurred by Union Switch & Signal in the USA. Orders were up from 1048bn lire in 1999 to 3192bn lire. Finmeccanica President Roberto Lina has indicated that the Transportation businesses could be sold off by the end of 2002.
Malaysia: Balfour Beatty Rail Power Systems has set up a southeast Asia regional office in Kuala Lumpur. The joint venture unit formerly known as DaimlerChrysler Rail Systems (KL) Sdn Bhd has become Balfour Beatty Rail Sdn Bhd.
Mexico: Timken de Mexico opened a locomotive and wagon bearing reconditioning plant in Mexico City during March.
Poland: On March 22 GATX Corp announced that it had completed its acquisition of Poland's national tank wagon owner and fuel distributor Dyrekcja Eksploatacji Cystern. USA based GATX Rail Overseas Holding Corp bought 100% of the shares for 350m zloty.
USA: On March 12 Siemens shares were listed on the New York stock exchange. Siemens President & CEO Dr Heinrich v Pierer said 'We must be traded on the world's largest stock exchange, along with our competitors. Listing here also gives Siemens an additional currency for potential acquisitions and strategic investments.'
Transentric and Snyder Equipment have formed an alliance to market FuelHawk, a web-based locomotive fuel management tool.
Union Pacific Corp has selected Clarus Corp as its e-commerce provider. Clarus will supply UP with procurement and settlement software.
On April 1 Swiss company Railcor AG took over operations at the Adtranz rolling stock assembly plant in Pratteln near Basel. Work in hand includes Cobra trams for Zürich and double-deck inter-city coaches for Swiss Federal Railways.
