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voestalpine expands its portfolio in railway systems technology

2011-06-27 | 

The listed voestalpine Group is continuing to enhance its competence in railway systems technology. Both the know-how and the fixed assets of the research department of Baas B.V. in the Netherlands, Baas R&D, have been acquired in their entirety and will be integrated into the turnout technology segment of voestalpine’s Railway Systems Division.

  • The acquisition of Baas R&D in the Netherlands boosts expertise in the development and production of innovative diagnostic systems for rail transport.

Specifically, this transaction affects the Group company VAE GmbH, the global market leader in the production of turnouts, whose subsidiary voestalpine Hytronics GmbH, Zeltweg, is thus expanding its portfolio with regard to diagnostic systems for rail transport. Baas R&D, headquartered in Waddinxveen in the western Netherlands, specializes in the development and production of wheel diagnostic and axle recognition systems based on fibre optics technology. Within the VAE Group organization, Baas R&D will become a branch of the German company SST Signal & System Technik GmbH (a subsidiary of VAE Eisenbahnsysteme GmbH, Zeltweg).

A market segment with long-term growth prospects

voestalpine Hytronics GmbH is responsible for the activities of the voestalpine Group concerned with ultramodern electro-hydraulic setting and safety systems for turnouts, as well as diagnostic systems for railways. The company expects demand to continue to grow in the long-term future for technologies that increase the reliability and availability of both rail infrastructure and rolling stock. The acquisition of Baas R&D is therefore an important addition to the Group’s product portfolio in this segment.

The voestalpine Group

voestalpine is a globally active group with a number of specialized and flexible companies that produce, process and further develop high-quality steel products. The Group is represented by 360 production and sales companies in more than 60 countries. With its highest quality flat steel products, voestalpine is one of Europe's leading partners to the automotive, white goods, and energy industries. Furthermore, voestalpine is the world market leader in turnout technology, tool steel, and special sections, as well as number one in Europe in the production of rails. In the business year 2010/11, the voestalpine Group generated revenues of around EUR 11 billion, and achieved an operating result (EBIT) of almost EUR 1 billion; the Group has around 47,000 employees worldwide.