https://www.railexpress.com.au/bt-acquisition-bolsters-alstoms-position-coxon/ https://www.railexpress.com.au/bt-acquisition-bolsters-alstoms-position-coxon/
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> BT acquisition bolsters Alstom’s position: Coxon
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> Alstom recently acquired Bombardier. So what does it all mean?
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> Alstom’s managing director in Australia Mark Coxon says a shared passion for rail will help maximise value as Bombardier Transportation comes into the fold.
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> In the role since 2015, Coxon was formally reaffirmed as Alstom’s local managing director shortly after it more than doubled in size when the BT acquisition was finalised on January 29.
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> “We have more commonalities than differences,” Coxon told Rail Express recently.
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> “Both companies have the safety of our people and our products as our priority. Both companies really have a passion for trains, technology and a desire to lead the digital transformation of our industry.
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> “We should now be seen as one organisation in the market and not as two.”
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> With former BT rollingstock coming under the Alstom banner, one in three passenger trains/trams in Australia is now Alstom rollingstock, equating to almost one million passenger journeys every day across the country.
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> Moving forward, Coxon said the move confirms Alstom as the leading supplier of innovative, sustainable solutions to the Australasian rail market. And a more than doubling in size and footprint, with more than 1,600 local employees, will be a major strength.
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> Coxon said Alstom’s current priority is continuity.
> “Our priority right now is one of continuity, meeting customers’ expectations and delivering our projects and meeting our commitments,” he said.
> “Then we will look at how to best integrate the combined talents, resources and experts we now have in Australia to build one organisation.”
> “Then it is about capturing the opportunities in the market and partnering with our stakeholders for the long-term.”
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> View of the market?
> “We’re not in a market which is declining in terms of pipeline – if anything it is actually the opposite,” he said. “The pipeline globally for rail is very significant and in Australia, even more so.
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> “In Australia, there is a shortage of resources, so we are not in a situation that is requiring structural capacity adaptation… We’re actually in a market where having resources and capability is a competitive advantage.”
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> On the future of the local rail manufacturing industry?
> As the only true end-to-end rolling stock manufacturer in Australia, Coxon said both companies had in the past demonstrated the willingness and capability to transfer technologies, skills and know-how to Australia to successfully manufacture rollingstock and deliver projects on time with outstanding quality.
> “We think that will continue in the future.”
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> Our full interview with Mark Coxon will feature in the April edition of Rail Express magazine.