Presented by Robert Clark MP		www.robertclark.net

Alstom buys Ballarat railway workshops

Alstom Australia Limited has bought the Ballarat Railway Workshops for $7 million.

The Minister for Transport, Mr Robin Cooper, said that Alstom planned to invest up to $10 million in developing the facility.

"In addition to keeping on all staff, the investment will create additional employment opportunities in Ballarat over the next five years," he said.

Alstom plans to develop the Ballarat Workshops as a maintenance support facility for the transport industry in Victoria.

The Ballarat Workshops provide maintenance services to Swanston and Yarra Trams, Bayside and Hillside Trains, V-Line Passenger, and Freight Victoria. The Workshops employ over 100 staff and occupy 5.5 hectares at North Ballarat.

Alstom is one of the world’s leading suppliers of components, systems and services in transport, transmission and distribution, energy, marine, local contracting and industry. Sales in 1998-99 were $24 billion and the company has 113,000 employees in more than 60 countries.

The acquisition of Ballarat Workshops is viewed as a key element of Alstom Group's strategy to expand its rolling stock manufacturing and maintenance activities in Australia. Alstom is linked to Melbourne Transport Enterprises (MTE), which was recently announced as the successful franchisee for Melbourne’s Hillside Trains.

The historic Bendigo Locomotive Depot has been leased to Great Northern Rail Services Pty Ltd, which has committed to upgrading and using the Depot as a working maintenance facility.

(News Release, Office of the Minister for Transport, August 13, 1999)