Globally, EUR 8.3 billion is currently being invested in new electric multiple units (EMU), which is more than 90% of the total volume for multiple units, SCI Verkehr GmbH reports. UK, Germany, France, Australia and Japan are the most important markets, representing more than half of the worldwide market. OEM market volume for EMUs shows an increase of about 8% per year up to 2022. Drivers for this growth rate are high demand in Western Europe due to increasing mobility as well as further upgrades of infrastructure projects, mainly in Asian and South American conurbations as well as further replacements of locomotive-hauled trains with multiple units. As a result of on-going urbanisation, suburban railway systems will be upgraded. In addition, an increasing use of double-deck EMUs is expected on networks with high capacity requirements.
With a current size of more than EUR 9 billion and an annual growth rate of about 9%, the global OEM market for regional and suburban multiple units is one of the largest and most dynamic product segments in the railway sector. UK is the main driver for this increase, as the country has announced a huge EMUs and dual-mode units procurement. Other major countries include Germany and France, which are part of the most important market region of Western Europe. With an overall positive trend for the next five years based on continuous procurements, a further increase in the market volume for multiple units is expected both for new vehicles and the after-sales market. Furthermore, hybrid multiple units are on the rise and are commonly planned to replace ageing DMUs.
According to SCI Verkehr, China is lagging behind due to different procurement policies, but is expected to gain further market shares in the near future. After years of investments in high-speed rail infrastructure, the country’s focus has shifted towards the development of commuter rail infrastructure in urban regions. Africa/Middle East is the region with the strongest relative market increase up to 2022.
In DMUs segment, Alstom has held its leading position in the market, followed by ICF, which has recently delivered many DMUs to Indian state railway IR. The most important manufacturers in EMUs segment are Bombardier, Stadler and Alstom which together have accounted for about half of the market during the last five years.
Through the merger of Chinese manufacturers CNR and CSR, the new company CRRC strongly gained in importance and became the world’s fifth largest manufacturer of multiple units with regard to deliveries in 2013-2017. SCI Verkehr expects CRRC to continue growing dynamically and to take an ever stronger position in the multiple unit market in the upcoming years, including in other countries besides its home market in China. The planned merger between Siemens and Alstom will also lead to a further consolidation in the multiple unit segment.
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