Bombardier, Crespin
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rolling stock manufacturing |
| Predecessor | Les Ateliers de Construction du Nord de la France |
| Founded | 1882 |
| Headquarters | Crespin , France |
Area served | France, Europe |
| Products | Rolling stock, bogies, metro cars, trainsets |
Number of employees | 2000+ |
| Parent | Alstom |
Alstom Crespin, previously known as Bombardier Transport France and ANF Industrie, is a French manufacturer specializing in rolling stock, located in Crespin, Hauts-de-France, France. The company became part of Bombardier Transportation in 1989 and was later acquired by Alstom in 2021.
Early Development
Founded in 1882 as Les Ateliers de Construction du Nord de la France, the company originated as a subsidiary of the Franco-Belgian enterprise La Métallurgique. It was established to avoid French import tariffs on Belgian products. In 1908, it merged with Société Nicaise et Delcuve based in La Louvière, Belgium, and by 1910 operated under the name Ateliers du Nord de la France et Nicaise et Delcuve.
In 1913, after restructuring within the parent organization Trust Métallurgique Belge-Français, the Belgian operations consolidated into La Société La Brugeoise et Nicaise et Delcuve, while the Ateliers du Nord de la France became entirely French-owned.
During the First World War, German forces occupied the factory and removed its machinery; however, reconstruction efforts after the war restored production to pre-war capacity by 1928, employing roughly 4,000 workers. The economic downturn during the Great Depression resulted in a halving of both output and employment. In 1934, the firm acquired a stake in Sambre et Meuse, an important supplier of cast steel components such as bogies for rolling stock.
Throughout World War II, the Blanc-Misseron facility manufactured military equipment before being seized by German forces; it was subsequently targeted by Allied bombings in 1944 due to its critical role in supporting rail operations under occupation.
In 1970, ANF Industrie introduced the Turbotrain, a high-speed train powered by gas turbines. Despite this innovation, it met with limited commercial success because of the late-1970s oil crisis and competition from the TGV.
Between 1986 and 1988, ANF Industrie spearheaded the production of 425 R68 subway cars for New York City through Westinghouse Amrail Company, a joint venture that included ANF, Jeumont Schneider, and Alsthom.
Bombardier Takeover
Following the dissolution of the Francorail industrial consortium in 1987—triggered by the Schneider group transferring its railway activities to Alsthom—ANF found itself isolated within the industry. This situation culminated in its acquisition by Bombardier in 1989.
After Bombardier's purchase of Adtranz in November 2001, the Crespin facility was designated as one of three principal European sites for bogie manufacturing and became a key location for final assembly. By 2010, Bombardier had invested over €500 million into the plant, which employed upwards of 2,000 personnel and produced approximately one-third of France’s domestic passenger rail vehicles.
Following these developments, Bombardier secured numerous contracts involving production at Crespin, including partnerships with Alstom on MF 01 metro cars as well as manufacturing Autorail à grande capacité (AGC) trainsets, Francilien NAT units, and Regio 2N trains.
On 4 December 2020, Bombardier announced an investment of €25 million aimed at modernizing and expanding manufacturing capabilities at its Crespin site. This initiative received backing from Xavier Bertrand, President of the Hauts-de-France region.
See also
- La Brugeoise et Nivelles, a Belgian company producing rolling stock, currently integrated into Bombardier Transportation
- Société Franco-Belge, manufacturer of rolling stock, now part of Alstom with a production facility located in Raismes, Valenciennes, France