TSA invests 9.5 million euros to expand rail motor production

Rail motor manufacturer Traktionssysteme Austria (TSA) has opened a new stamping centre in Wiener Neudorf, investing about 9.5 million euros, ORF reports. The company plans to produce all the electrical steel sheets it needs in-house.

TSA makes electric motors for underground trains, trams and double-decker trains. Electrical steel sheets are a key component, and the company previously bought most of its supply from abroad. Its in-house production share was recently 20 to 25 percent.

The new centre, at the company’s Werk 3a facility, focuses on automation, precision and energy-efficient production. A second stamping machine is due to be added in 2027. Once it is installed, TSA aims to produce five million sheets a year and no longer depend on suppliers in other countries.

“With the new stamping centre, we are specifically strengthening our own production, increasing value creation at the site and gaining additional flexibility throughout the supply chain,” TSA managing director Harold Schmidt said. He described the investment as an important step towards keeping the company competitive and prepared for the future.

TSA’s long-term vision, called “TSA-City”, is to develop the operation from one production hall into an integrated site with four halls. The company expects its workforce to grow from about 450 to 550 by 2030. Lower Austria Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner called the project a strong commitment to the region’s industrial base.

The company says it is the world’s largest manufacturer of rail motors. Its Wiener Neudorf plant makes about 10,500 electric motors, gearboxes and generators each year for vehicle manufacturers. TSA components are used in all rail vehicles operated by Wiener Linien and in ÖBB’s Stadler KISS double-decker trains. The plant generated about 150 million euros in revenue last year. TSA says its order books are full until mid-2027, with initial orders already secured through 2033.