Alstom will increase production capacity by 40% at its Mátranovák bogie frame factory in Hungary through a HUF 6 billion (EUR 16.2 million) development programme. As part of the Mátranovák 2030 Programme, the facility which joined Alstom Group in 2021 will upgrade to state-of-the-art machinery, adopt new production methods and onboard nearly 150 new staff members.
The company is carrying out the modernisation programme with support from the Government of Hungary. The support contract was signed on April 11 by Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Affairs, and Balázs Gáspár, Managing Director of Alstom in Hungary.
As a result, Mátranovák bogie frame factory, which is the largest employer in Nógrád county, will significantly increase its production capacity by 2025. Situated in a small village in North-East Hungary, it will become one of the most important bogie frame manufacturing facilities within Alstom in Europe. This means that bogie frames produced in Mátranovák will be utilised in railway vehicles across Europe, strengthening the positive reputation of Hungary’s railway component production sector.
As part of the Mátranovák 2030 development plan initiated in 2022, the company is upgrading its machinery. This includes acquiring new edge bending machines, enhancing the capacities in 3D measurement, modernizing the plasma cutting machine, and installing nearly 60 new rotators. Additionally, a new welding robot is being deployed. Over the recent period, alongside infrastructure and machinery upgrades, a transition to a new, cell-based production system has begun. This shift will enable specialists to manufacture bogie frames more efficiently within a reduced space requirement.
To attract and train new professionals, Alstom has established its own accredited welding and locksmith school at the factory. This initiative was launched by the company to specifically address the high demand for these skills in the job market. The development program is anticipated to conclude by the end of 2025 with the construction and delivery of a new logistics hall.
At the Mátranovák factory, the production of bogie frames for metro and railway assemblies began four decades ago. The quality of these frames is vital for railway safety, as they support the axles, springs, and brakes of trains. To ensure the highest reliability, the site in Mátranovák employs complex, high-level combined welding techniques. Today, the products manufactured in Mátranovák are distributed throughout Europe and are used in various types of trains, including traditional and high-speed trains, suburban trains, locomotives, and double-decker railcars.
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