Siemens-Alstom Merger & Amtrak

Siemens has entered into an agreement to acquire a majority ownership interest in Alstom. As a result of this acquisition Amtrak will now have a single vendor for all of its new power (Chargers, Cities Sprinter/ACS-64, Avelia Liberty) and a significant part of their new coaches.

Here's the latest from Marketwatch.

...and they might not be done with Bombardier, either!

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Germany’s Siemens AG and France’s Alstom SA are discussing a merger to create a European rail transportation manufacturing conglomerate to counter growing competition from China, according to a report in the Sept. 23, 2017 Wall Street Journal. Meanwhile, Siemens continues to engage in talks with Canada’s Bombardier, Inc. about merging their railway businesses.

I think Siemenstrom (Alstmens?) has enough to sort out without the mess that's BBD, and what does it buy them anyway? A lot of headaches? A lot of angry customers? Access to NJ Transit? Whoop de do.

Nasadowsk wrote:I think Siemenstrom (Alstmens?) has enough to sort out without the mess that's BBD, and what does it buy them anyway? A lot of headaches? A lot of angry customers? Access to NJ Transit? Whoop de do.

?

Watch for some European Union anti-trust action to pop up

Nasadowsk wrote:I think Siemenstrom (Alstmens?) has enough to sort out without the mess that's BBD, and what does it buy them anyway? A lot of headaches? A lot of angry customers? Access to NJ Transit? Whoop de do.

Nope ... just "Siemens" ... Alstom is being bought out. The process will be slow and the names probably won't fully change for several years but read the news and that is clearly what's happening.

Backshophoss wrote:Watch for some European Union anti-trust action to pop up

Unlikely. The merger is in response to competitive pressure from China Railway Rolling Stock Corp (CRRC) which is itself a state owned business.

If only the US counted enough in the world rolling stock market for US regulators to be able to dissuade such a pairing

bdawe wrote:If only the US counted enough in the world rolling stock market for US regulators to be able to dissuade such a pairing

Why should US regulators have anything to say at all on the affairs of European firms?
(Contrary to what the political left wants people to believe these days, it was the USA that once was a colony of a European nation, not vice versa)

They don't ... Until those firms do business in the United States and/or the merger creates a monopoly for a certain product in the U.S. market (which it probably won't).

One must wonder, and I don't know, to what extent European states have "buy at home" provisions on anything.

What would happen if The Donald took the Hoover Dam tour (if it even still offered post 9/11) and noted as I did some ASEA electrical equipment. I asked the guide; he said to me "they had the best price".

Also worth noting that since Alstom took over GE rail signaling that Siemens now will be the vendor for the Michigan and Illinois ITCS projects.

Gilbert B Norman wrote:One must wonder, and I don't know, to what extent European states have "buy at home" provisions on anything.

Believe that would be a violation of EU rules.

Gilbert B Norman wrote:One must wonder, and I don't know, to what extent European states have "buy at home" provisions on anything.

What would happen if The Donald took the Hoover Dam tour (if it even still offered post 9/11) and noted as I did some ASEA electrical equipment. I asked the guide; he said to me "they had the best price".

I don't think they do. During the period of state ownership, BA was a Boeing-heavy carrier. AF is still 17% state-owned and they certainly have a strong Boeing presence in the fleet. SAS is about 50pct gov't owned and they are mostly Airbus but the Airbus constituents are mostly Germany/France/UK (and now Alabama!). I'd do the same analysis for railroad equipment but there is not a US builder for passenger equipment. There are plenty of EMD GT42 at DB Rail UK, but not sure if they were bought or inherited.

gokeefe wrote:They don't ... Until those firms do business in the United States and/or the merger creates a monopoly for a certain product in the U.S. market (which it probably won't).

The EU commission didn't protest against the McDonnell-Douglas/Boeing merger... (OK, so it'd be silly of them to do so since it actually strengthened European manufacturer Airbus' position, but still)