By CASEY NEILL
BOMBARDIER Transportation workers and suppliers have celebrated a major milestone.
The Dandenong manufacturer has completed its contract to produce A-City electrical multiple unit (EMU) trains for South Australia.
It invited customers and suppliers to sign a poster commemorating the occasion on Wednesday 14 October, and acknowledged the local supply chain’s significant contribution to the project.
Bombardier operations director Stuart Inglis said the South Australian planning, transport and infrastructure department awarded the Adelaide A-City Train Project in March 2011.
It was for 22 three-car electric trains, including 10 years’ maintenance at Bombardier’s Dry Creek facility in Adelaide.
The department this year awarded a three-year fleet maintenance extension.
Mr Inglis said the A-City combined two rail vehicles known for their performance and reliability – the Perth B Series EMU and the Australian Design Award-winning VLocity diesel multiple unit (DMU).
The trains include about 60 per cent local content.
“Bombardier is proud to have designed and built this vehicle locally right here in Dandenong,” he said.
“We are also extremely proud that this project has not only supplied robust, high-performing vehicles for the South Australian transportation network, but has done so utilising up to 600 local suppliers and, at peak, employed a workforce of 150 direct employees on the project.”
Mr Inglis said the project’s success had not been without challenges.
“But we have worked together through these challenges with the experience and dedication of the Bombardier workforce at Dandenong,” he said.
He also thanked the South Australian Government’s unwavering support, the extended Bombardier family’s global expertise and capabilities, industry partnerships, and “our accomplished local suppliers”.
City of Greater Dandenong mayor Sean O’Reilly and South Australian planning, transport and infrastructure department project director Phil Agnew also spoke at the event.
