Škoda Group has acquired a 93.9% stake in The Signalling Company. The acquisition
is in line with Skoda Group’s strategy to expand into modern mobility systems. Earlier this year the Group took over the Austrian operations of Molinari Rail, a technical engineering and design company. The remaining 6.1% stake of The Signalling Company remains with the company’s two executives, Stanislas Pinte and Frederic Du Jardin.
This acquisition is a great news for The Signalling Company, who sees in Škoda Group an outstanding industrial and financial partner for its future growth.
“Expanding our portfolio with our own signalling solutions, especially ETCS, is important to the Škoda Group’s success in European markets, especially in Western Europe. This sector has great potential, and we’re looking forward to developing new solutions to improve rail transport safety, efficiency and sustainability,” says Didier Pfleger, CEO of Škoda Group.
Škoda Group’s acquisition of The Signalling Company will boost its competitiveness with major European train manufacturers. The Škoda Group will be able to offer a full range of products and services to railway operators in Western Europe, especially Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands.
“With the entry of a large and successful partner into our company, there are further great opportunities for growth in the signalling business. Thanks to Škoda Group’s investment and the connection with such a major European rolling stock manufacturer, we will gain access to the European market,” says Stanislas Pinte, CEO of The Signalling Company and now also Vice President Signalling at Škoda Group.
Notes :
Škoda Group produces a range of rail machinery and components, including floor trams, electric locomotives, suburban train units, metro sets, electric buses and trolleybuses, and control and drive systems for transport systems.
Škoda Group employs 8,000 people at several production sites in the Czech Republic and Finland. The Group also has business units in Germany, Italy, Austria and Hungary. In 2021, Škoda Group invested EUR 81.1 million in research and development. Škoda Group is a part of PPF Group.
PPF Group operates in 25 countries. It invests in a range of sectors, from financial services to telecommunications, media, biotechnology, real estate, industry, and mobility. PPF operates in Europe, Asia, and North America. The Group has assets of EUR 40.1 billion and employs 70,000 people worldwide (as of 30. 6. 2022)
