Alstom
Alstom SA is a prominent French multinational corporation specializing in rolling stock manufacturing and a major player in the global rail transport markets. Established through the merger of Société Alsacienne de Constructions Mécaniques and Compagnie Française Thomson-Houston in 1928, Alstom initially operated under the name Alsthom. The company's expertise spans various aspects of rail transport, including passenger transportation, signaling, and locomotives, with a product range covering high-speed trains, suburban and regional trains, urban trains, and trams.
Over the decades, Alstom has expanded through significant acquisitions such as Constructions Électriques de France in 1932, shipbuilder Chantiers de l'Atlantique in 1976, and components of ACEC in the late 1980s. A pivotal merger in 1989 with parts of the British General Electric Company led to the creation of GEC Alsthom, which was rebranded as Alstom in 1998 when it was listed on the Paris Stock Exchange.
The early 2000s were challenging for Alstom; in 2003, it required a €3.2 billion bailout from the French government and had to divest several divisions to comply with EU state aid rules. The company faced further difficulties in 2004 due to unforeseen costs from a design flaw in the acquired ABB turbine technology.
In a significant shift in 2014, General Electric acquired Alstom's power and grid divisions, prompting Alstom to focus exclusively on rail transport. Efforts to merge with Siemens Mobility were blocked by the European Commission in 2019, but in 2020, Alstom successfully signed an agreement to acquire Bombardier Inc.'s transportation division, a deal that was finalized in January 2021. This acquisition marks a continued effort to consolidate and enhance Alstom's position as a leader in the global rail industry.