Bombardier Transportation has opened its new South African production facility in Isando, Johannesburg.
The 6,000 square-metre site will be used for the production of Mitrac high-power propulsion equipment for the Transnet Locomotives project.
240 Bombardier Traxx Africa locomotives are being supplied as part of a 50 billion ZAR (€3.1 billion) contract. These are primarily being built at Transnet Engineering’s facilities in Koedoespoort, Pretoria and Edwin Swales, Durban.
As well as producing the Mitrac high-power propulsion equipment for this project, the new Isano plant will house a testing center for traction converters and electrical cubicles.
In October, it will also become the headquarters for Bombardier Transportation in South Africa.
Transnet Group chief executive Siyabonga Gama commented on the new plant: “Bombardier’s production facility was an integral step in driving localisation, transformation and economic empowerment.
“The successful partnership with Bombardier serves a crucial purpose in enhancing and embedding our Market Demand Strategy – and the role Transnet plays in growing our economy.”
