Poland: The rolling stock manufacturer has signed a strategic €1.6 bln financing agreement with a consortium of more than 20 lending institutions.
According to Piotr Małczuk, president of the state-owned Polish Development Fund, which controls Pesa, the company’s order backlog currently exceeds PLN 15 bln (€3.5 bln). “To deliver on these contracts and further expand our market presence, two key factors were needed: increasing production capacity and refinancing operations”, he said.
The company says it has entered a phase of stable growth, and the new financing package will cover both current and long-term financial needs. The funds will support performance guarantees for ongoing and future contracts as well as the modernisation of Pesa’s Bydgoszcz plant, where an investment programme launched in 2023 aims to double production capacity through the introduction of laser welding and automation.
Investment will also strengthen Pesa’s international operations, including the expansion of its service network in the Czech Republic and Romania. The manufacturer is currently building 91 regional EMUs for Romania’s ARF and 18 200 km/h EMUs for Czech operator RegioJet.
Pesa will also direct part of the funds towards new vehicle development. The company is independently designing a 250 km/h EMU, a hydrogen locomotive, and a new tram platform due to be unveiled in 2027. In parallel, under its Regio160 platform introduced in 2021, Pesa is developing battery- and hydrogen-powered trains. The same platform already underpins Stage V diesel units supplied to Ghana, as well as electric multiple units for Poland and Romania.
