Stadler Rail focuses on Kazakhstan: 53 million investments

Context

In brief

• Stadler Rail invests 25 million francs in the Astana plant
• Another 100 jobs created and new production in Astana
• Total investment of at least 53 million francs between 2023 and 2031

Key facts

• What: Investment for railway plant and aluminum carbody production
• When: Period from 2023 to 2031
• Where: Astana, Kazakhstan
• Who: Stadler Rail, Thurgau-based railway manufacturer
• Amount: 25 million francs in immediate investment, 53 million total

The Thurgau-based railway manufacturer Stadler Rail has announced an investment of 25 million francs directly allocated to its plant located in Astana. This large-scale industrial operation allows for the creation of another 100 local jobs and gives rise to the first highly automated production of aluminum carbodies for railway vehicles in the entire Central Asia region. The official announcement was issued through a press release released today by the company itself, highlighting the strategic scope of the overseas production expansion project. Inside the Kazakh production site, new workshops are planned specifically dedicated to the welding and painting of various structural elements of the trains. Currently, the industrial structure employs about 650 people in the territory of Kazakhstan. Local specialists are trained directly for the new complex tasks at Stadler Rail's operational headquarters located in Europe, thus guaranteeing a high quality and technological standard.

Operations and production lines in Astana

The Astana plant already plays a central role today, handling numerous phases of train production. Among other things, railway carbodies, dedicated electrical equipment, undercarriage components and bogies are manufactured at this site, alongside the assembly and commissioning activities of the railway vehicles. With this new expansion phase, Stadler Rail's stated objective is to significantly increase local added value. Overall, the industrial group aims to invest at least 53 million francs in Kazakhstan in the period between 2023 and 2031, further consolidating its international production presence in a key market for the supply of advanced rolling stock meeting the needs of local and foreign customers.

Operational details

The announcement of the new investments made by the Thurgau-based group found an immediate response also on international financial markets and stock exchanges. On the stock market, the Stadler Rail share recorded a gain of almost 3%, settling at around 29 francs per single share. Analyzing the financial trend of the stock on the stock market, it is observed that since the beginning of January the price has risen by 35%, while over the previous twelve months the overall calculated increase stands at 41%. However, it should be remembered that at the time of its initial stock market landing in April 2019, the stock was traded at a value of 43 francs, highlighting the historical fluctuations that have characterized the stock market journey of the Thurgau company over the years.

Historical origins and industrial profile of the group

To fully understand the current structure of the company, it is useful to retrace its industrial roots. Stadler Rail traces its historical origins back to the engineering firm founded by Ernst Stadler in 1942 in Zurich. Today the company has its main headquarters located in Bussnang, in the canton of Thurgau (TG). The enterprise is engaged in the manufacture of a wide range of rolling stock ranging from high-speed trains to regional convoys, including trams and vehicles destined for underground systems. These are modern vehicles that also circulate regularly on Swiss and Ticino railway lines. The industrial group has a total of 18'000 employees distributed globally, of which about 6'000 units work directly in Switzerland. Regarding financial data relating to business volume, in 2025 the company achieved a total turnover of 3.7 billion francs, confirming its economic solidity and strategic relevance within the Swiss manufacturing and metalworking sector.

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Key points

The international growth of industrial groups with Swiss roots such as Stadler Rail demonstrates the strong global vocation of Swiss manufacturing companies, capable of combining the historical engineering tradition with highly automated production plants in emerging markets such as Central Asia. The expansion in Astana, with the inclusion of new professionals and specialist technical training in Europe, highlights how industrial competitiveness is based on long-term targeted investments. The group's financial planning, which foresees total resources of at least CHF 53 million between 2023 and 2031, testifies to a strategic vision aimed at increasing local added value and optimising construction processes for rolling stock destined for international rail networks.

Monitoring of markets and future prospects

The stock market performance of Stadler Rail reflects the response of investors to the company's production expansion strategies and economic results, including turnover of CHF 3.7 billion in 2025 and the 18,000 total employees, one third of whom are active in Swiss factories. The management of production sites distributed between the headquarters in Bussnang (TG) and foreign hubs such as Kazakhstan requires complex logistical and engineering coordination, rooted in the tradition of the studio founded in Zurich in 1942.

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Source: swissinfo.ch