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Alstom, Siemens to merge rail businesses to counter China’s CRRC

  • German industrial group Siemens and French rival Alstom agreed to merge their rail operations, creating a European champion to better withstand the international advance of China's state-owned CRRC.
  • Siemens will own 50 percent plus a few shares of the joint venture, to be called Siemens Alstom, while Alstom will supply Henri Poupart-Lafarge as chief executive, helping to counter criticism that France is giving up control of another national industrial icon.
  • The non-executive chairman will come from Siemens.

Martin Leissl | Bloomberg | Getty Images

German industrial group Siemens and French rival Alstom agreed to merge their rail operations, creating a European champion to better withstand the international advance of China's state-owned CRRC.

Siemens will own 50 percent plus a few shares of the joint venture, to be called Siemens Alstom, while Alstom will supply Henri Poupart-Lafarge as chief executive, helping to counter criticism that France is giving up control of another national industrial icon.

The non-executive chairman will come from Siemens.

The framework deal, which still has to be approved by Alstom shareholders as well as regulators, is a Franco-German industrial breakthrough for French President Emmanuel Macron but is a move that has riled opposition politicians. Their worries centre on France losing control of its TGV high-speed train – a symbol of national pride that has highlighted French engineering skill – and possible job losses.

Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Tuesday that the French government welcomed the planned tie-up, which he said would protect French jobs.

The French state said it would not exercise an option to buy a 20 percent stake in Alstom from industrial group Bouygues.

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