CONTAGEM, Brazil — Wabtec will spend R$20 million ($3.7 million U.S.) to expand operations in Brazil, mostly at its plant in Contagem, Minas Gerais, the company announced this week.
At Contagem, the company will build a new Global Engineering Center, its first in Latin America, and has developed a new locomotive production line. The 9,000-square-meter (about 97,000-square-foot) Engineering Center will be located near Wabtec’s locomotive factory in the Cidade Industrial District, and will house laboratories and work stations for approximately 300 engineering jobs. Plans are to open the center this December.
The company launched the new locomotive production line earlier this year, increasing capacity at the Contagem plant by 28% to meet increased demand. The facility is projected to produce its 1,000th locomotive in 2026.
“This expansion demonstrates our confidence in the Brazil market and the region’s growth potential,” Danilo Miyasato, president and regional leader of Wabtec in Latin America, said in a press release. “It also reflects on how our team here in Brazil has routinely delivered the products and services needed for our customers to thrive. With this investment, we are prepared to serve railroads in Brazil and around the world with excellence, while continuing to drive innovation.”
The company expects to have 1,000 employees in Contagem by 2026. It will also open new logistics centers in Govenrador Valadares, Minas Gerais, and Monte Alto, São Paolo, to expand its shipping capacity and create room for growth in areas such as maintenance-of-way, digital intelligence, and components.
