Wabtec Wins a Significant Order for London Underground

PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wabtec Corporation (NYSE: WAB) secured an order to supply Siemens Mobility with several products for the London Underground’s Piccadilly Upgrade Program. The deal, valued at more than $70 million, is for brakes, air conditioning and ventilation (HVAC), passenger information systems, and third-rail current collectors.

“London Underground is one of the world’s busiest transit systems with millions of passenger journeys per day. As such, it requires the most reliable and efficient solutions to deliver the expected flawless transport for Londoners,” said Lilian Leroux, President of Wabtec’s Transit business. “These orders build upon our long-standing relationship with Siemens Mobility and will support one of the most modern and sustainable metros ever built.”

Wabtec will supply the components for 94 new trains as an initial order. The bogie brakes provide the London Underground with a weight savings of 250 kg reducing the train’s energy expenditure and offers a significant two-year extension on overhaul intervals helping increase availability and reduce maintenance costs. The sanding system also will increase safety by improving traction and adhesion in London’s demanding environment.

This order also marks the first time that trains in the London “Deep Tube” will be equipped with air conditioning systems. These systems are designed to reduce energy consumption compared to traditional offerings. In addition, the new passenger information system will create an exclusive passenger experience with clearer acoustics, bright modern and low energy displays, and comprehensive information displays for passengers.

Finally, the trains will be equipped with Wabtec’s third-rail current collectors, an innovative solution designed with resin moulding technology on selected components to reduce weight by more than 15 percent.

“It is an honor to be working on this project with Siemens,” said Leroux. “The Piccadilly Upgrade Program will greatly improve the London Underground and we are delighted to have so many solutions selected by Siemens to be part of a new fleet of trains that will create new levels of excellence in performance, reliability, safety, and passenger experience. We have nearly 2,500 employees in the UK who are developing and producing next-gen technologies that will transform the future of passenger rail.”

The Piccadilly Upgrade Program aims to replace the aging rolling stock, signaling and control systems across four lines. The first phase of the program is aiming at modernizing the fleet serving the Piccadilly Line with new trains.

The PLU project will support London's growing population and result in direct, indirect and induced job growth throughout London over the next years.

About Wabtec

Wabtec Corporation is a leading global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions and value-added services for freight and transit rail. Drawing on nearly four centuries of collective experience across Wabtec, GE Transportation and Faiveley Transport, the company has unmatched digital expertise, technological innovation, and world-class manufacturing and services, enabling the digital-rail-and-transit ecosystems. Wabtec is focused on performance that drives progress, creating transportation solutions that move and improve the world. The freight portfolio features a comprehensive line of locomotives, software applications and a broad selection of mission-critical controls systems, including Positive Train Control (PTC). The transit portfolio provides highly-engineered systems and services to virtually every major rail transit system around the world, supplying an integrated series of components for buses and all train-related market segments that deliver safety, efficiency and passenger comfort. Along with its industry-leading portfolio of products and solutions for the rail and transit industries, Wabtec is a leader in mining, marine and industrial solutions. Wabtec has approximately 27,000 employees in facilities throughout the world. Visit the company’s new website at: www.WabtecCorp.com.