Siemens Mobility will open a new rail service centre in Gądki, near Poznań in Poland. The maintenance depot should be able to service seven locomotives concurrently. Siemens says that the investment illustrates the significance of the Polish market for its business.
If all goes according to plan, the depot will open its doors in 2027. The 4,300-square-metre facility will feature five kilometres of electrified tracks, cutting-edge maintenance equipment and a dedicated testing area, explained Siemens. An underfloor wheel lathe and a dropping table will be among the equipment.
The Gądki site will provide both light and heavy maintenance. Its range of services will include routine inspections, safety system maintenance, major overhauls, modifications, accident repairs, and mobile support services, Siemens specified. The depot should also operate carbon-neutrally.
“With our first Rail Service Center in Poland, we are expanding our service network in a strategically important European rail market, to provide best-in-class service based on the latest technologies”, commented Elmar Zeiler, CEO Customer Services at Siemens Mobility.
“This investment further strengthens our service capabilities, enabling us to provide reliable support throughout the entire lifecycle while creating the foundation for the further development of our service business in Europe.”
Part of a bigger network
Siemens Mobility already operates one of the largest service networks, with 130 locations in over 30 countries. The depot in Gądki should be fully integrated in the company’s service network for locomotives, the German rail company writes. It is not the first maintenance business that Siemens will open in Poland: the Gądki facility builds upon 15 years of locomotive maintenance experience in the country.
Local and regional parties have supported the development of the maintenance depot. Among them are the Marshal’s Office of the Wielkopolska Voivodeship, together with the Municipality of Kórnik and the Zakłady Kórnickie Foundation. “The investment is intended to strengthen local rail expertise, support the development of multi-system locomotive maintenance capabilities and contribute to the continued growth of sustainable rail transport in Poland and across Central and Eastern Europe”, explained Siemens.