Rail transportation manufacturer Alstom has completed a major expansion that featured the addition of a car body shell production facility in the City of Hornell. Thanks to New York State assistance, Alstom reshored this critical operation back to the United States from Brazil, investing $75 million in this state-of-the-art manufacturing and testing facility, assisting the storied company with fulfilling a major order with Chicago’s Metra commuter rail line. Alstom is producing 200 new multi-level commuter cars that will have modern features, greater capacity and a smoother ride. Alstom will also soon begin production on new light rail vehicles for Philadelphia on the Hornell campus. Alstom’s stock facility in Hornell is the largest passenger rail manufacturing facility in North America.
“Alstom’s $75 million expansion is proof that manufacturing is back in the Southern Tier,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “We are reshoring good, union jobs and rebuilding Upstate, making New York the place where things get made and made well. I am committed to rebuilding New York’s manufacturing base, creating opportunity in every part of the State and ensuring the future is made right here at home.”
Because of New York State support, Alstom has pledged to create 258 union supported jobs on-site and retain 390 jobs. Up to $7 million is being made available through the performance-based Excelsior Jobs Tax Credit Program in exchange for the job creation commitments.
The plant is one of the few advanced manufacturing facilities in the United States capable of producing stainless steel car body shells for passenger rail vehicles. The 135,000 square feet facility also provides additional capacity and manufacturing capabilities to support other Alstom projects.
The high-tech facility, which is set to begin production on 200 multilevel commuter rail cars for Chicago’s Metra system, marks the latest chapter in Alstom’s ongoing commitment to American manufacturing excellence and to creating high-quality jobs in New York’s Southern Tier.
“When we invest in American manufacturing, we create good jobs that have a ripple effect across the entire region. We’re not just building trains — we are creating opportunities in Hornell and across the country,” said Michael Keroullé, President of Alstom Americas. “Plant 4 upholds our long-standing commitment to making trains in America, and it expands our ability to deliver cutting-edge rail solutions for our customers. We thank Governor Hochul and all our state, local and federal partners for their support.”
Alstom invested $75 million and worked with 40 contractors to build and outfit its Plant 4 facility. The project was supported by grant, job credit and tax credit programs from federal, state and local agencies, including the New York Empire State Development, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), City of Hornell Industrial Development Agency, the U.S. Department of Treasury CDFI Fund, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, New York State Electric & Gas, and the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration.
The car body manufacturing process involves welding together primary parts to create assemblies as long as 80 feet. At Plant 4, automated welding robots will be used to make sure tens of thousands of welds are precise within 1 millimeter. This is made possible by using state-of-the–art AI technology that allows robots to work together safely, efficiently, and accurately. As a result, transit authority customers will benefit from enhanced quality and lower cost of production.
This expansion at Alstom’s Hornell site is expected to create 258 new jobs, including those in mechatronics engineering and robotics-related fields, while helping to retain 390 existing jobs.
