Wabtec Brazil Expansion: New Engineering Center Fuels Rail Growth

“`html

Introduction

Wabtec will open a global engineering center in Contagem, Minas Gerais, Brazil, investing 20 million reais ($3.7 million) to expand its operations and workforce. The facility, scheduled to open in December, will be the company’s first in Latin America.

Expansion in Contagem

Wabtec is investing 20m reais ($3.7m) to boost engineering and manufacturing capacity in Contagem, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The investment includes the establishment of a global engineering center, which will be the company’s first in Latin America. The engineering center, set to open in December, will be located near Wabtec’s factory in the Cidade Industrial district.

Engineering Center Details

The new engineering center will occupy approximately 9,000m². It will include laboratories and workspaces designed to accommodate 300 engineering professionals, with recruitment currently underway. The facility will provide research and development support for projects serving both domestic and international markets.

Production Capacity

In April 2025, Wabtec initiated a locomotive production line at the Contagem plant. The addition of this new line is expected to increase the factory’s production capacity by 28%. The company projects a total of 1,000 locomotives will be produced by 2026. By that year, the combined workforce of the factory and the engineering center is forecast to exceed 1,000 employees.

Logistics and Partnerships

In addition to the Contagem developments, Wabtec plans to open two logistics centers this year, one in Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, and another in Monte Alto, São Paulo. These centers are intended to increase shipping capacity and support growth in areas such as maintenance of way, digital intelligence, and components.

Last month, Wabtec and Vale formalized an agreement for laboratory testing of a dual-fuel engine capable of operating on both diesel and a diesel-ethanol blend. These assessments, scheduled to continue through 2027, will evaluate the engine’s operational performance, emissions profile, and determine the potential for ethanol substitution in the Vitória-Minas Railway fleet.