WE WILL SOON HAVE AUTONOMOUS TRAINS RUNNING ON MAINLINES”
Business Today|May 16, 2021
In end-January, French mobility major Alstom completed the acquisition of German rival Bombardier Transportation. The new entity has combined revenues of around €15.7 billion, order book of €71.1 billion and employs 75,000 people in 70 countries. Ling Fang, President, Alstom Asia-Pacific, spoke to P.B. Jayakumar on Alstom becoming the largest overseas mobility player in India and why the country is going to be a crucial market for the company. Edited excerpts:
P.B. Jayakumar
WE WILL SOON HAVE AUTONOMOUS TRAINS RUNNING ON MAINLINES”

With the Bombardier acquisition, how has your footprint changed in India?

Alstom has made huge investments in India. We have set up several factories, recruited a lot of people and also invested significantly in technologies. This was primarily to meet the needs of the Indian railway sector. We decided years ago to put India at the heart of our strategy as the country is a global delivery centre for Alstom worldwide. This includes delivering projects for international markets. We do a lot of research & development and innovation activities out of India.

In India, we have 8,000 employees, six factories (two from Bombardier Transportation) and two large engineering centres (Bangalore and Hyderabad). This makes India the third-biggest country for us. On an average, we have been recruiting 1,000 people per year in India. India will become the number one country for Alstom in two-three years. As our CEO recently said, “If India succeeds, Alstom will succeed, and if India fails, Alstom will fail”. India is important not only because of its market potential but also innovation, manufacturing and engineering capabilities.

The merger has made you the largest multinational mobility solutions provider in India. What are the synergies expected from this acquisition?

Combined, we now have a larger presence in metro rail projects in different Indian cities — Chennai, Lucknow, Kochi and Mumbai. We have won several big projects like Mumbai Metro III, rolling stock for Mumbai Metro IV, Agra-Kanpur metro, signalling for Bangalore metro. There is a little bit of Alstom now in nearly all metro rail projects in India. Bombardier was traditionally more present in the Delhi Metro.

Denne historien er fra May 16, 2021-utgaven av Business Today.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra May 16, 2021-utgaven av Business Today.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA BUSINESS TODAYSe alt
The EV Craze
Business Today India

The EV Craze

The country’s growing luxury car market is seeing a shift with environmentally-conscious consumers betting on electric vehicles as a sustainable travel option. Though just 6%, the share of EVs in the luxury segment is rising rapidly

time-read
5 mins  |
November 10, 2024
The Storage Boom
Business Today India

The Storage Boom

Data centres are being built at a frenetic pace in india as companies scramble to meet the ballooning demand from mobile phone users and firms adopting al. Can the country’s energy infrastructure keep up?

time-read
8 mins  |
November 10, 2024
India Beckons
Business Today India

India Beckons

Owing to rising incomes in India and overall wealth expansion, luxury brands are wooing the country like never before

time-read
4 mins  |
November 10, 2024
The Pearls of The Sea
Business Today India

The Pearls of The Sea

Caviar, that rare food, is considered the epitome of fine dining. Here is everything that you need to know about it

time-read
4 mins  |
November 10, 2024
66.Brand persona should define the core"
Business Today India

66.Brand persona should define the core"

I’d say this was a strategic pivot. We had an iconic brand, but had, over time, evolved into diversified lines of businesses that could no longer be represented within the confines of our ‘name’.

time-read
1 min  |
November 10, 2024
Unwind in Style
Business Today India

Unwind in Style

Here is acomprehensive list of top tech picks that help you unwind by blending perfection in performance with luxury

time-read
3 mins  |
November 10, 2024
A Lifelong Affair with Inspiration
Business Today India

A Lifelong Affair with Inspiration

In my art journey, the diversity of my acquisitions mirrored the expanding horizons of my understanding of art

time-read
3 mins  |
November 10, 2024
Make it Bubbly
Business Today India

Make it Bubbly

Champagne is much more than just a symbol of celebration and success. Know about its nuances beyond the bubbles

time-read
4 mins  |
November 10, 2024
Palatial Splendour
Business Today India

Palatial Splendour

Buoyed by renewed demand, sales of the glitzy mansions of the ultra-rich are surging like never before. Real estate majors are looking to capitalise on this by launching luxury offerings in record numbers

time-read
7 mins  |
November 10, 2024
Of Beaches and Cream
Business Today India

Of Beaches and Cream

GianChand Single Malt Whisky

time-read
1 min  |
November 10, 2024