The European Commission has approved under EU State aid rules Croatia’s plans to provide €57·4m of restructuring aid to Ðuro Ðaković. This is intended to enable the wagon manufacturing and mechanical engineering company to restore its long-term viability, and is in addition to €64m of private investment from the DD Acquisition consortium of Czech companies, which will become the controlling shareholder. Ðuro Ðaković is to withdraw from the project engineering market, and end production of three types of wagons to limit potential market distortions.
EIB has signed the first green bond in its history, a €350m private placement subscription of a green bond issued by FS which Trenitalia will use to purchase 34 high speed trainsets for use in Italy (14) and by Ilsa in Spain (20). EIB said the project would boost high speed transport on the trans-European network, promoting a single railway market and the transfer of road and air traffic to rail in line with the Fourth Railway Package.
The Greenbrier Companies received orders for 6 300 wagon units valued at $685m and delivered 4 100 units in its Q1 to November 30, when it had a backlog of 28 000 units worth $3·0bn, as well as a refurbishment backlog of 3 500 units valued at $200m for delivery during 2022-23. Net earnings for Q1 were $11m on revenue of $551m.
Vossloh has successfully issued a Schuldschein loan with a volume of €25m by way of a private placement. The transaction was significantly oversubscribed. The loan has a term of seven years with a fixed interest rate of 0·8% per year. Vossloh will use the funds to prematurely redeem a floating-rate Schuldschein loan in the same amount with an original term until July 2024, which had a minimum interest rate of 1·2% per year. Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen arranged the transaction and is also operating as paying agent.
Portuguese road haulage company LASO Transportes has acquired two Faymonville MultiMAX semi-trailers for the movement of rolling stock and other long loads. Features include rail guides in the loading platform and six steerable cranked axles.
Dr Martin Webhofer has been appointed CEO of testing, inspection and certification services company TÜV Süd Rail, succeeding Klaus Bosch who is retiring. ‘The rail industry is packed with exciting innovations and dynamic developments’, said Webhofer. ‘Important drivers are digitalisation and automation and the associated change towards even more efficient and climate-neutral rail transport, both in passenger and freight transport. We will accompany our customers on their way into the future.’
Vinci Railways subsidiary MESEA has obtained triple AFNOR ISO 9001 (Quality Management), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) and ISO 45001 (Management of workplace health & safety) certification for its concession to maintain the LGV Sud Europe Atlantique high speed line between Tours and Bordeaux.
Admiral Thomas B Fargo, Kansas City Southern board member and former ambassador Antonio O Garza and James R Huffines have been re-elected to the board of The Greenbrier Companies. Duane McDougall and Don Washburn retired from the board at the end of their terms in January.
Tikehau Capital has acquired a 40% stake in French engineering company Egis. Caisse des Dépôts retains a 34% stake, alongside Egis’s management and employees who hold 26% after increasing their stake by 2% as part of the transaction. ‘The arrival of Tikehau Capital alongside our historical investors will provide Egis with the additional resources to accelerate our growth internationally, to expand our range of services and to continue developing innovative solutions that meet the growing needs of our customers‘, said Egis CEO Laurent Germain.