Alstom Expands its Activities in Hungary

Alstom has expanded its activities in Hungary: it is producing a bogie frame for its hydrogen-powered passenger train at its factory in Mátranovák, NE Hungary, and plans to hire 100 new employees, the company told the state news agency MTI on Monday.

The first bogie was recently completed in Mátranovák, where an investment of more than HUF 1.3 billion is under way. The company is planning new developments and an expansion of its workforce, the statement said.

The Coradia iLint is the world's only hydrogen-powered passenger train, built by Alstom at its Salzgitter plant in Germany. Designed for non-electrified lines, the train has already been ordered by Germany, Italy and France, the statement said.

The bogie frame, which is made in Hungary, is a key part of the rail wagons, on which the axles, springs and brakes are mounted. Its quality is crucial for railway safety. The quality of the products manufactured at the Nógrád plant is outstanding, and the ‘Made in Mátranovák’ designation has become a trademark of reliability and high professional standards, Alstom said.

Gáspár Balázs, CEO of Alstom Transport Hungary Plc. in Hungary, said in the statement that they foresee a great future for the use of hydrogen propulsion in rail transport both in Hungary and in Europe, which is why they are planning continuous developments and related staff increases this year and in the coming years.

Alstom has been present in Hungary for more than 20 years and is one of the country's largest suppliers of metro trains. In January 2021, the company acquired the Mátranovák bogie factory, one of the largest employers in Nógrád County with 660 employees. The factory was built in the early 1970s and has been producing bogies since 1982.