Alstom Crespin
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Les Ateliers de Construction du Nord de la France |
| Founded | 1882 |
| Headquarters | Crespin , France |
Area served | France, Europe |
| Products | Rolling stock, intercity and commuter trains, People mover systems |
Number of employees | 2000+ |
| Parent | Alstom |
Alstom Crespin, previously known as Bombardier Transport France and ANF Industrie, is a French manufacturer of rolling stock located in Crespin, within the Hauts-de-France region. Originally acquired by Bombardier Transportation in 1989 and later integrated into Alstom in 2021, the firm focuses on the construction of intercity and commuter trains as well as People mover systems.
Origins
Established in 1882 under the name Les Ateliers de Construction du Nord de la France, this company was a branch of the Franco-Belgian enterprise La Métallurgique. Its creation aimed to circumvent French import tariffs on Belgian products. By 1908, it merged with Belgium’s Société Nicaise et Delcuve, adopting the combined name Ateliers du Nord de la France et Nicaise et Delcuve by 1910.
In 1913, a restructuring of the parent organization Trust Métallurgique Belge-Français resulted in the Belgian entities merging into La Société La Brugeoise et Nicaise et Delcuve, while the French workshops gained independence.
During the First World War, German forces occupied the factory and removed its machinery. Reconstruction efforts after the war restored production to its former scale by 1928, with a workforce numbering approximately 4,000. The economic downturn during the Great Depression reduced both staff and output by half. In 1934, ANF expanded its capabilities by acquiring stakes in Sambre et Meuse, allowing it to manufacture cast steel parts such as bogies.
Throughout World War II, the Blanc-Misseron facility fulfilled military contracts prior to German occupation and was subsequently targeted by Allied air raids in 1944 due to its critical role in sustaining railway operations.
In 1970, ANF Industrie introduced the Turbotrain, a high-speed train powered by gas turbines; however, it struggled commercially amid the oil crisis of the late 1970s and was eventually overshadowed by the success of the TGV.
From 1986 to 1988, ANF Industrie spearheaded production of 425 R68 subway cars for New York City's transit system through Westinghouse Amrail Company—a joint venture involving Westinghouse and Francorail, itself a consortium comprising ANF Industrie, Jeumont Schneider, and Alsthom.
Acquisition by Bombardier
The dissolution of the Francorail partnership in 1987 and Schneider group's transfer of its rail operations to Alsthom left ANF isolated, leading to its acquisition by Bombardier in 1989.
Following Bombardier’s takeover of Adtranz in November 2001, the Crespin facility was designated one of three principal European sites for bogie manufacturing as well as a key final assembly plant. By 2010, Bombardier had invested upwards of €500 million at Crespin and employed more than 2,000 personnel. The plant accounts for roughly one-third of all passenger rail vehicles produced domestically in France.
After acquisition, Crespin secured contracts to manufacture significant projects including Alstom’s MF 01 metro trains, Autorail à grande capacité (AGC) trainsets, Francilien NAT units, and Regio 2N trains.
On 4 December 2020, Bombardier revealed plans for a €25 million investment aimed at upgrading and enlarging Crespin’s production capabilities. This initiative received backing from Xavier Bertrand, President of the Hauts-de-France region.
See also
- La Brugeoise et Nivelles, Belgian firm producing rolling stock, currently integrated into Bombardier Transportation
- Société Franco-Belge, manufacturer of rolling stock, now incorporated into Alstom with a production facility located in Raismes, Valenciennes, France