Siemens
is
investing
£100
million


in
replacing
its
rail
infrastructure
centre
in
Chippenham,
which
was
previously
owned
by
Westinghouse,
with
a
new
factory.

All
800
staff
at
the
present
site
will
be
transferred
to
the
new
factory
when
it
is
open
in
2026.

Siemens
described
its
investment
as
‘groundbreaking’,
and
said
it
intends
to
create
a
‘cutting-edge
rail
infrastructure
manufacturing,
digital
engineering
and
research
&
development
centre’
at
SouthPoint
Business
Park
in
the
Wiltshire
town.

The
next
generation
of
conventional
and
digital
rail
signalling
and
control
systems
for
British
railways
will
be
built
there,
according
to
the
company.
The
changeover
from
old
to
new
will
not
interrupt
production,
it
added.

Chancellor
Jeremy
Hunt,
who
is
due
to
unveil
his
Budget
proposals
in
two
days
from
now
on
6
March,
said:
‘This
new
commitment
from
Siemens
is
a
big
boost
for
Britain’s
world-class
manufacturing
sector
and
shows
our
plan
for
the
UK
to
be
the
best
place
to
invest
and
grow
a
business
is
working.

‘This
digital
technology
will
improve
the
safety,
reliability
and
connectivity
of
our
railways
and
drive
sustainable
opportunities
in
higher-paid
jobs
and
exports
–
as
part
of
our
plan
to
grow
our
economy.’

Rob
Morris,
who
is
joint
CEO
of
Siemens
Mobility
in
the
UK
&
Ireland,
said:
‘This
£100
million
investment
is
a
strong
commitment
to
Chippenham
and
our
country.
Siemens
Mobility’s
Chippenham
site,
along
with
our
30
sites
across
the
country,
has
been
transforming
rail
travel
and
transport
in
Britain
–
and
it
will
continue
to
do
so
with
cloud-based
rail
technology
connecting
the
real
and
the
digital
worlds,
digitalizing
rail.
We
are
very
excited
to
soon
start
construction
of
one
of
the
most
sophisticated
rail
factories,
digital
engineering
and
R&D
sites
in
the
UK,
supporting
local
jobs
and
skills
for
the
future.
There’s
a
piece
of
Britain
in
everything
we
build.’

Siemens
added
that
its
new
factory
is
being
constructed
‘with
the
latest
standards
for
highly
efficient
production,
while
the
offices
are
designed
to
provide
a
modern,
welcoming
work
environment
to
enable
better
collaboration
and
innovation
for
the
UK
railway.
The
interior
will
be
modelled
to
account
for
the
“new
normal”
with
many
open
and
collaboration
and
meeting
spaces,
better
facilities,
relaxation
areas
and
improved
technology.
The
site
will
be
designed
to
blend
in
with
its
surroundings,
and
undergo
an
ecological
assessment
aiming
for
a
10
per
cent
net
increase
in
biodiversity
through
the
planting
of
native
plants
and
the
creation
of
wildlife
habitats.’

Chippenham
has
been
associated
with
railway
signalling
and
associated
technologies
since
the
end
of
the
nineteenth
century,
because
the
first
works
in
the
town
was
opened
by
signalling
contractor
Evans
O’Donnell
in
1897.
Later,
it
was
acquired
by
the
Westinghouse
Brake
&
Signalling
Company.