The investment creates 400 full-time jobs and will focus on increasing the use of robots and digitalisation with the aim of improving working conditions, particularly in body work and painting facilities. For example, Bombardier will spend €1m to reduce emissions from volatile substances during painting.

Bombardier’s Crespin plant has a full order book for the next four years. In 2021, the plant will deliver 400 coaches for Francilien single-deck EMUs for the Paris region and 500 double-deck Omneo EMUs ordered by the French regions.

Crespin will also build intermediate coaches for the new RER NG double-deck EMU for Paris RER lines D and E, the powered cars for which Alstom is building at the nearby Petit Forêt plant. Other work includes new M7 double-deck driving trailers for Belgian National Railways (SNCB). The plant will also soon start work on MF 19 steel-wheeled stock for the Paris metro.

The announcement comes ahead of the completion of the takeover of Bombardier by Alstom on January 29.

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