Written by David Briginshaw, International Railway Journal; November 1, 2017
THE announcement on September 26 that Siemens and Alstom have agreed to merge their rail businesses did not come as a complete surprise as rumours of a potential tie up, first between Siemens and Bombardier Transportation and more recently between Siemens and Alstom, have been circulating for some time.
Nevertheless, negotiations appear to have been concluded swiftly. This was reflected in the enthusiasm for the deal which was evident in the speeches made in Paris on September 27 by Mr Joe Kaeser, president and CEO of Siemens, and Alstom’s CEO Mr Henri Poupart-Lafarge, with both men emphasising their belief that it is a perfect fit as their two businesses are largely complementary.