ALSTOM has confirmed to IRJ that it has entered into confidential and open-ended exploratory discussions with an interested party regarding the potential sale of its locomotive plant at Kassel in Germany.
“Alstom respects the confidentiality agreement that has been concluded and is therefore unable to provide any further information at this time,” the company says. According to local media reports, the plant may be sold to a defence contractor.
The 800 Alstom employees at Kassel were informed late last month that the site may close and be sold to another company. Alstom took ownership of the plant in 2021 when it acquired Bombardier, and in recent decades Kassel has specialised in the production of the Traxx range of passenger and freight locomotives.
The potential divestment of the Kassel site comes after Alstom announced last month its preliminary results for 2025-26, which according to incoming CEO, Martin Sion, were short of expectations. The company’s share price fell by 28% as a result.
In recent media interviews, Sion has made it clear that he believes that Alstom may have too many production facilities across the 63 countries in which the company now operates. He has signalled his intention to review Alstom’s industrial footprint and product portfolio, as well as company's existing industrial transformation plan. An action plan will be announced later this year.
Alstom has already disposed of one former Bombardier site in Germany, selling the Görlitz coach plant to defence manufacturer KNDS in 2025. In Britain, Alstom has announced plans to end refurbishment and maintenance work at its Widnes site, described as the largest rolling stock modernisation facility in the country when it opened in 2017. Work will be concentrated at other sites in Britain.
Locomotive production is undertaken by Alstom at two other plants in Europe, including Belfort in France. Traxx locomotives are also produced at the former Bombardier plant at Vado Ligure in Italy.
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