European Railroad Discussion > Europe: Vossloh Giving Up in Motive Power Business

It appears Manufacturer Vossloh is looking for buyer of its locomotive and track component division, which are no more considered "core business". Vossloh has been for years "the manufacturer" for European larger diesel locomotives, and in many cases medium switchers too. Plants exist in Germany and Spain and product lines are considered successful and reliable. However, the sudden decision raises questions on the profitability. Is the time for larger diesels over? Or is it just so that Vossloh has found far more lucrative business opportunities elsewhere and it is time for the railroad division to go? Or is building diesel locomotives as a somewhat lower tech business mowing to East to companies like CZ LOKO, Polish and other manufacturers? What do you think Vossloh news is all about?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/14 06:27 by McKey.

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I hope the motive power business stays viable. I think EMD is using Vossloh to design and/or build the bodies for EMD's diesel loco offering for Higher Speed Rail in the US.

So restructuring Vossloh to four sections, one of which is rolling stock, mostly diesel motive power, might make an appetizing bite for Caterpillar-EMD? They have the money, if they have will. Vossloh would give them chance to invade European markets too, or the yearly 2 billion USD of it, which is the Vossloh rolling stock division turnover. Something GE has been trying to do for years, with very limited success. Of course Russia inc. could buy Vossloh too, they've been active buying companies recently. Vossloh would make a great partner to Transmasholding who still manufactures old obsolete designs, inside and outside.

One note: Caterpillar is already powering just about anything on European continent, regardless which manufacturer is building the locomotives.

I would hate to see Vossloh Espana stop manufacturing those huge and very reliable Euro 3000 / 4000 product lines now found in many countries where their loading gauge is not restricting their use.


Alexmarissa Wrote:
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> I hope the motive power business stays viable. I
> think EMD is using Vossloh to design and/or build
> the bodies for EMD's diesel loco offering for
> Higher Speed Rail in the US.


Some views to Vossloh Road Switcher style offering from Berlin, Germany. These are all quite powerful diesel-hydraulic locos despite their modest looks. Vossloh locos always seem to have a manufacturing model printed somewhere where you can see it well. Here shown are Vossloh leased G6 at work for DB (if I interpret the registration data right) and Behala owned G1700BB = diesel-hydraulic 1700 kW (2280HP Caterpillar CAT 3512 B -HB) B'B' for heavy duty harbor work.

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To remind that Vossloh locomotives can be found just about _everywhere_, here are two more pics from Switzerland.

If the above Bahala unit is G1700BB-2 the SBB / SBB Infra units below might belong to generation "G1700BB-1".

Whether it will be Americans or Russians buying Vossloh Motive Power Division, they will truly get an appetizing company!

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McKey Wrote:
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> So restructuring Vossloh to four sections, one of
> which is rolling stock, mostly diesel motive
> power, might make an appetizing bite for
> Caterpillar-EMD? They have the money, if they have
> will. Vossloh would give them chance to invade
> European markets too, or the yearly 2 billion USD
> of it, which is the Vossloh rolling stock division
> turnover. Something GE has been trying to do for
> years, with very limited success. Of course Russia
> inc. could buy Vossloh too, they've been active
> buying companies recently. Vossloh would make a
> great partner to Transmasholding who still
> manufactures old obsolete designs, inside and
> outside.
>
> One note: Caterpillar is already powering just
> about anything on European continent, regardless
> which manufacturer is building the locomotives.
>
>
> I would hate to see Vossloh Espana stop
> manufacturing those huge and very reliable Euro
> 3000 / 4000 product lines now found in many
> countries where their loading gauge is not
> restricting their use.
>
>
> Alexmarissa Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I hope the motive power business stays viable.
> I
> > think EMD is using Vossloh to design and/or
> build
> > the bodies for EMD's diesel loco offering for
> > Higher Speed Rail in the US.
>
>
> Some views to Vossloh Road Switcher style offering
> from Berlin, Germany. These are all quite powerful
> diesel-hydraulic locos despite their modest looks.
> Vossloh locos always seem to have a manufacturing
> model printed somewhere where you can see it well.
> Here shown are Vossloh leased G6 at work for DB
> (if I interpret the registration data right) and
> Behala owned G1700BB = diesel-hydraulic 1700 kW
> (2280HP Caterpillar CAT 3512 B -HB) B'B' for heavy
> duty harbor work.

The Vossloh G6 is designed as an Industrial Switch engine, you wouldn't want to get it up to speed with that wheel arrangement. The Behala and SBB locomotives are both G1700BB locomotives but the SBB locomotive is rated at slightly less power due to a Particulate filter added to the exhaust system. Vossloh still offers a replacement design to the G1700BB now called the G18 with hydraulic drive or the DE18 with diesel-electric drive.

Vossloh intends to keep its Track Products business, but reorganize it into 3 divisions. The Locomotive and Light Rail Vehicle divisions are up for Sale, JV, or spinoff.

Finally some discussion and added info, thanks SOO!

Any G2000 pictures, anyone?

I suppose the end buffer business is not for sale? These can be found on Malmbana in Norway.

And, I managed to find an example of the large Vossloh G2000 loco with unusual end cabs, much the style GE today builds locos for UK. This is from 4rail.net Novara, Italy files.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/14 22:47 by McKey.

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Vossloh had already tried to get rid of its locomotive business back in 2013 (when also Voith tried to sell its plant at Kiel), but wasn't successful at that time, so this looks like yet another attempt.

Interestingly, according to the newspaper "Kieler Nachrichten", Vossloh still sticks to its plans to move the Kiel-based production of locomotives (switchers, road switchers and low power units) to a new, high-tech modern site in Kiel. This move will be finalized by the end of 2015. If there are no changes to these plans, and it does not look like that there are, as the contracts are signed, the buyer of the Vossloh's locomotive business, which by the way accounts for about 37% of Vossloh's total turnover ("niche business" ?), will get a brand-new facility.

The same newspaper also mentions that if the sale does not materialize until the end of the year 2017, Vossloh is looking for a majority partner for that business. We shall have to stay tuned ;-)

E111

McKey Wrote:
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> I suppose the end buffer business is not for sale?
> These can be found on Malmbana in Norway.

If these aren't "track components" I don't know what are!

Agreed ;) suppose these can be called rolling stock only in rare occurrences!

spflow Wrote:
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> McKey Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I suppose the end buffer business is not for
> sale?
> > These can be found on Malmbana in Norway.
>
> If these aren't "track components" I don't know
> what are!

Right, "the newcomer" Voith to locomotive business (though well established in transmission business) could not have been less luckier. A true shooting star Voith was forced to close their doors due to nonexistent / very small demand. But I think they also managed to push price levels to nonhealthy levels temporarily. Of course it might be that this "unhealthy" level might be "quite healthy" for CZ Loko and some Polish players of the league.

E111 Wrote:
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> Vossloh had already tried to get rid of its
> locomotive business back in 2013 (when also Voith
> tried to sell its plant at Kiel), but wasn't
> successful at that time, so this looks like yet
> another attempt.

A few pictures from Innotrans 2012 of Voith offering. If something is a favorite of all fair visitors, it might not turn out for a successful sales campaign.

Despite the outcome numerous cool looking locos are still in traffic.

More pics: http://www.4rail.net/reference_germany_gallery2_diesellocos.php#voi_gravita15l

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