Hyder Consulting has bought transport and water consultancy Voigt Ingenieure, and also SEIB Ingenieur, a consultancy specialising in the rail and road sectors in Germany and Austria.
FreightCar America is to cease production at its Johnstown factory in Pennsylvania, which employs 390 people. The wagon manufacturer said Johnstown had higher labour costs than its plants in Illinois and Virginia, where capacity is expected to be sufficient to cope with orders in the next few years. Administrative functions are unaffected.
On December 27 Russian Railways acquired 25% plus one share in Netherlands-based company The Breakers Investments BV, which owns 100% of loco and rolling stock company Transmash Holding (RG 1.08 p44). The price was not disclosed.
Compin Group announced the purchase of Européenne de Matériaux Composites on December 5. EMC produces interior and front end components for rolling stock and non-rail vehicles, employing 150 staff in France and 100 in Bulgaria.
During December Skoda Transportation and Pars Nova agreed a strategic partnership with Serbian rolling stock builder Gosa. The formerly state owned company based in Smederevska Palanka was sold to Slovak firm ZOS Trnava in January 2007 (RG 3.07 p171), and has plans to produce 200 wagons in 2008.
South African engineering and technology company Ansys has bought signalling contractor Emerging Signals (Pty) Ltd for R15m in cash and shares.
On January 2 Colas Rail announced its purchase of the Carillion Rail Plant business in the UK. Colas gains 156 staff, 12 tampers, three ballast regulators, 16 switch handling vehicles, a Kirow crane and a depot in Rugby.
Faiveley Transport has bought the railway assets of Integrian from the administrators who have managed the Melbourne-based onboard electronics company since October 25.
