Siemens Mobility
Siemens Mobility has announced an expansion of its manufacturing footprint by building a 220 million USD advanced manufacturing and rail services facility in Lexington, North Carolina.
The company says the facility will create more than 500 new jobs and be one of the city’s largest employers. It will also incorporate 3D printing technology.
With the increased production capacity, Siemens Mobility says it will fulfil the growing demand for passenger rail in the US by providing innovative and sustainable passenger trains.
When the facility begins operations in 2024, it will feature some of the same technologies found in the company’s Sacramento facility, including 3D printing, robotic welding, and virtual reality welder training. Siemens also says that the facility will be carbon neutral once it is fully operational, playing an important role in sustainability commitments.
“America’s investing in rail, and we are investing in America,” said Dr. Roland Busch, CEO of Siemens AG. “Siemens has invested $3 billion in manufacturing expansions and M&A activities in the U.S. over the past four years alone, including nearly $400 million to grow its U.S. manufacturing footprint and over two and a half billion dollars in strategic U.S. acquisitions.
“This latest facility will build rail technology to help transform the everyday for millions of passengers around the country, particularly as the country sees a resurgence in public transit and intercity travel.”
Siemens Mobility says that due to the Biden Administration, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is enabling American rail and transit operators to make ‘critically needed’ investments in infrastructure that will position the country to meet citizen’s needs with rail networks designed for future generations.
Marc Buncher, CEO of Siemens Mobility, added: “Thanks to the administrations vision and strong ambition to put rail on the national agenda and the funding available to our customers in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, now is the moment in time for rail in America. This facility supports our strategy to grow in close proximity to our customers as well as provide us with the added capacity needed to push the boundaries of innovation.”
Lexington is situated in Davidson County in North Carolina and is home to nearly 20,000 people. The location is part of the Piedmont Triad, a commerce hub with access to transportation and a strong workforce in central North Carolina.
The company will receive a Job Development Investment Grant from the state of North Carolina. Over the course of the 12-year term of the grant, the facility is estimated to grow the state’s economy by 1.6 billion USD according to Siemens.
Congresswoman Valerie Foushee, Vice Ranking Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, said: “This announcement is exciting news for the City of Lexington, the Piedmont Triad region, and all of North Carolina. The new Siemens Mobility manufacturing and rail services facility will bring hundreds of good paying jobs to North Carolina, while working to meet the increased demands for high-speed passenger rail and modernising our nation’s rail infrastructure.”
Siemens Energy has previously invested in 3D printing technologies such as Stratasys Fortus 450mc extrusion 3D printing systems.
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