The technologies of tomorrow are exciting and open a whole new spectrum of possibilities. But these technologies need to support legacy systems that characterize our rail network across the continent. That will not go away, but rather will need to be slowly updated and modernized and require important on-the-ground knowledge for equipment to be physically installed along the rails and wayside to help provide access to the cloud capabilities.
For Siemens Mobility in Canada, July has marked some notable milestones and I am excited to be back in Canada to celebrate some of these. Earlier this month, Siemens Mobility closed its acquisition of RailTerm, a Canadian-based provider of rail service to more than 70 clients across North America.
The addition of RailTerm helps consolidate our position as a full-service provider of rail technology, and not only in Canada.
In our fast-changing world, this will now enable us to better support our customers as they navigate today’s most important intersection between technology on the ground, and technology “in the cloud.”
The technologies of tomorrow are exciting and open a whole new spectrum of possibilities. But these technologies need to support legacy systems that characterize our rail network across the continent. That will not go away, but rather will need to be slowly updated and modernized and require important on-the-ground knowledge for equipment to be physically installed along the rails and wayside to help provide access to the cloud capabilities.
The scale of our business in North America continues to grow, and it’s moving into the direction of being more things to our customers– even after we finish selling them the vehicles. We want to partner with them throughout the lifetime of our vehicles, helping to address any problem that comes up – and fix it – or importantly, prevent it.
There’s a lot going on in Canada right now which is pointing in that direction. Our business in Canada is gaining momentum and requiring us to increase our scale and expertise to best serve our current and future customers.
VIA Rail, which is Canada’s national passenger rail service, recently unveiled the exciting design of its new fleet. These trains, built by Siemens Mobility, represent a new era for VIA Rail and will contribute to modernizing passenger rail on the Corporation’s busiest route: the Québec City-Windsor corridor.
We’re proud to be part of that. But North America’s rail infrastructure is at a critical juncture right now. Both the US and Canada are facing – and acknowledging – the need and opportunity that exists now to make crucial updates to its transportation infrastructure.
We have learned what it takes to update and prepare ourselves for tomorrow’s standards: It’s a beautiful recipe that utilizes both on-the-ground experience and knowhow, coupled with cutting edge digitalization technology. It’s an exciting balance between things you see and feel – and the new technology you cannot see but can feel differently.
This new acquisition of RailTerm now helps us provide exactly that: for our customers in Canada, and to a broader base of customers in the U.S. and the rest of the world.
Exciting times for our business in North America, and a sign of great things to come!
Written By:
Marc Buncher, CEO
Siemens Mobility Inc.
