Wabtec buys friction products company in Brazil
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-ChiefWabtec Corp. announced Wednesday that it has strengthened its presence in Brazil by acquiring Adantech Industria e Comercio de Metal, a friction products company serving both transit and freight markets.
With annual sales of about $2 million, Adantech manufactures brakes shoes and pads for subway cars, locomotives, and freight cars. Founded in 2003 and based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the company serves primarily in the aftermarket. The acquisition closed Dec. 31.
Brazil is the largest rail market in South America, and in 2009 Wabtec established a service center in Belo Horizonte to provide component repair and reconditioning services.
“With commodities such as iron ore driving its economy, Brazil is expected to continue growing at a steady pace for the foreseeable future,” said Albert J. Neupaver, Wabtec’s president and chief executive officer. “As a result, investment in the country’s freight and passenger transportation networks is growing, which offers significant potential for Wabtec.”
