Wabtec - Company of the Year - Automotive & Transport Equipment

Company: Wabtec, Pittsburgh, PA
Company Description: Wabtec is a leading global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions, and value-added services for the freight and transit rail sectors. Drawing on over 150 years of experience, we are leading the way in safety, efficiency, reliability, innovation, and productivity.
Nomination Category: Company / Organization Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Company of the Year - Automotive & Transport Equipment - Large

Nomination Title: Wabtec

Wabtec is a leading global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions, and value-added services for the freight and transit rail sectors. With roots dating back to founders George Westinghouse and Thomas Edison, Wabtec is accelerating the future oftransportation by leading the way in safety, efficiency, reliability, innovation, and productivity.

The company is an integrated solutions provider delivering lifecycle product and services for the transportation industry by improving interoperability, efficiency and competitiveness for customers. With more than 23,000 locomotives in our global installed base, and components on many of the locomotives, freight cars and transit cars around the world, Wabtec is developing tomorrow’s logistics and transit solutions. The company’s digital solutions, combined with Positive Train Control (PTC) and electronics capabilities, unlock significant productivity improvements — saving billions of dollars for rail customers and operators, all while creating pathways to advanced automated operations. These digital technology solutions improve safety and efficiency for the transportation industry, helping address the growing demand for improved rail performance.

Wabtec has made great strides in the past two years. It started with the merger with GE Transportation in 2019. This accomplishment brought together industry leaders with complementary and unique technologies to create a leading rail technology company. It also established Wabtec as a Fortune 300 and S&P 500 company. Since the merger, Wabtec has introduced innovations that enable customers to succeed and transform the rail industry. Some major achievements include:

-Designed, built and shipped the world’s first 100% battery electric locomotive.
-Won the New York City Transit order to extend battery technology to passenger transit.
-The Trip Optimizer system, which works a bit like cruise control for trains, completed over 500 million auto miles and has saved customers 400 million gallons of fuel.
-Helped 70 railroad customers meet the first U.S. mandated Positive Train Control (PTC) 2020 deadline.
-Tested, introduced and sold zero-to-zero train operations - starting a train from ZERO mph and stopping the train automatically using various controls integrated with PTC.
-Introduced and began testing the new, innovative Green Friction braking solution for transit rail to reduce friction particle emissions on metro trains by up to 90 percent.
-Expanded the company’s additive manufacturing footprint by being the launch industrial tenant in Pittsburgh’s Neighborhood 91- first development in the world to both condense and connect all components of the 3D Printing supply chain into one powerful production ecosystem.
-And launched our first Sustainability strategy and Report as a new company.

It starts with the climate and Wabtec’s sustainability report outlines its vision. Trends show that freight and passenger activity will more than double by 2050, and with it demand for cleaner, more energy efficient transportation solutions. The rail industry is on the cusp of technological advancements required to power locomotive fleets with alternative green energy sources. Wabtec is leading this environmental shift with the FLXdrive Battery Locomotive – the industry’s first and only, heavy-haul, 100% battery-powered locomotive operating in revenue service with BNSF Railways. This technology will provide 10 to 30% in fuel savings for the complete locomotive consist, depending on the 2400 kWh or 6000 kWh version and route profile. It has paved the way for battery applications in Transit with hybrid work trains for New York City Transit. Pairing the alternative power solutions with automation and digitization is an essential driver for the modernization of the entire transportation system, making it seamless and more efficient and key to driving increased levels of safety, security, reliability and reduced emissions. Wabtec’s dominant market share in Positive Train Control (PTC) systems, which span 70,000 miles of track are the foundation for a more autonomous network. Combined with the proven Trip Optimizer system (accomplishments detailed in previous question), it will transform the rail network into a smart interconnected transportation system. Wabtec started testing and sold this technology with zero-to-zero train operations, starting a train from ZERO mph and stopping the train automatically using various controls integrated with PTC.

There are several articles, videos and websites providing background on the Wabtec and its accomplishments. Attached you will find:

-Wabtec’s website with background on the company
-A video highlighting the Wabtec’s 2019 merger with GE Transportation.
-A video and article regarding the world’s first battery locomotive, how it works and its impact on the industry.
-An article on Wabtec’s PTC and autonomous rail innovation.
-An article on Wabtec’s Trip Optimizer 500-million miles. It’s a technology that supports the journey to autonomous rail.
-An article on Wabtec's new Green Friction technology.
-Finally, there are a couple articles regarding Wabtec’s investment in Neighborhood 91 (the one-of-a-kind additive ecosystem) and how additive technology helps Wabtec achieve its sustainability efforts.