Progress Rail plans Brazil locomotive plant
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-ChiefProgress Rail Services plans to locate a locomotive manufacturing facility in Sete Lagoas in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, to serve the South American diesel-electric market.
Progress Rail, a subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc., said in an announcement Monday that it will operate the facility through its subsidiary, MGE Equipamentos e Servicos Ferroviarios Ltda. (MGE). The project could create up to 600 jobs at full capacity.
The company said it will make a “significant investment to reopen and modernize the existing manufacturing plant.”
The facility will assemble and manufacture Electro-Motive Diesel-branded locomotives in the 12,000 square-meter space. Electro-Motive Diesel Inc. is a subsidiary of Progress Rail Services.
“We are proud to announce the opening of this state-of-the-art facility, which will allow us to produce locomotives locally for our Brazilian customers, and also continue to provide quality products to our customers around the world,” said Billy Ainsworth, president and chief executive officer of Progress Rail Services.
