President, André Navarri, and Dresdener Verkehrsbetriebe AG (DVB AG) Board Member, Technology, Frank Müller-Eberstein, announced today a 20-tram order from the city of Dresden at the opening of the 2004 InnoTrans International Trade Fair on Transport Technology in Berlin. The order for the 20 Bombardier FLEXITY Classic trams, which is worth 43 million Euros (approx. US$52 million), is part of a framework agreement with DVB AG signed in 2000. The first batch of trams stemming from this agreement comprised 32 units and deliveries began in mid-2003. The additional 20 FLEXITY trams are scheduled to be delivered between August 2006 and December 2007. In addition to the order announced today, the framework agreement still comprises two further options of 10 trams each.
According to Mr. Navarri, “This order demonstrates, once again, the trust that our customers have when it comes to our products, and our close cooperation and relationship with DVB AG. We are proud that Bombardier Transportation’s proven product platform, the FLEXITY Classic, is operating successfully in such a beautiful city.”
Mr. Müller-Eberstein added, “The 20 trams are an important part of modernising our fleet of trains, which currently has 104 modern vehicles and is expected to increase by another 11 by the middle of 2005. The FLEXITY trams will allow us to replace the high-floor Tatra cars with newer low-floor ones, facilitating our continual effort to provide the disabled with barrier-free train stop facilities. This is also in compliance with laws for the disabled.”
The 32 five-car, 12-axle trains previously ordered are 45 meters long, making them the world’s longest trams. The additional 20 trams will be supplied as 30-meter three-car units with eight axles. These trams will be built in Bombardier’s Bautzen facility in Germany. Bombardier’s plants in Siegen and Mannheim, Germany will deliver bogies and electrical equipment.
Bombardier Transportation is displaying the latest products and innovations in the rail transportation industry at the InnoTrans fair grounds. At the opening of Europe’s most prestigious rail transportation fair, Mr Navarri said: “The rail industry is undoubtedly facing challenges. We are coping with a difficult economic environment, while striving to meet the continuously growing demands for passenger and freight transport.”
Mr. Navarri continued: “As global market leader, we at Bombardier Transportation are approaching these challenges by realigning our strategy to address the future demands of the market. In addition, we are strengthening our efforts to not only deliver high-tech products in a timely fashion, what our customers naturally expect from us, but also to provide them with the service, maintenance and overall back-up that they need."
The realigned strategy, as well as the global market leader’s high-tech rail transportation products and comprehensive solutions are embodied in Bombardier’s InnoTrans theme for 2004, “Crossing Borders”.
About Bombardier
A world-leading manufacturer of innovative transportation solutions, from regional aircraft and business jets to rail transportation equipment, Bombardier Inc. is a global corporation headquartered in Canada. Its revenues for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2004 were $15.5 billion US and its shares are traded on the Toronto, Brussels and Frankfurt stock exchanges (BBD, BOM and BBDd.F). News and information are available at www.bombardier.com.
Bombardier and FLEXITY are trademark(s) of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.
For information:
Lydia Dufresne
Media Relations
+1 450 441-8130