Traktionssysteme Austria
| Company type | GmbH |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electrical engineering, railway industry |
| Founded | June 2000 |
| Founder | Franz Hrachowitz, Günter Eichhübl, Robert Tencl |
| Headquarters | Wiener Neudorf , Austria |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Robert Tencl (Managing Director) |
| Products | Electric traction motors, traction drives, generators for railway and commercial road vehicles |
| Owner | PCS Holding (48%), Voith (37%), Robert Tencl (15%) |
Number of employees | 690 (direct employees) (2023) |
| Website | www |
Traktionssysteme Austria GmbH (TSA) is an Austrian industrial enterprise based in Wiener Neudorf, focusing on the design and manufacturing of electric traction motors, traction drives, and generators intended for railway and commercial road vehicles.
In 2023, TSA achieved nearly €120 million in revenue and employed approximately 690 staff members globally.
Origins
The foundation of TSA can be traced back to the Österreichische Brown, Boveri Werke, a division of the Swiss company Brown, Boveri & Cie. (BBC), which operated plants in Vienna and Steyr. After World War II, restructuring efforts led to the establishment of a site in Wiener Neudorf during the 1950s. By the 1960s, a new factory was constructed there, producing motors, generators, railway equipment, transformers, and switchgear.
Subsequent corporate changes resulted in the site becoming part of Asea Brown Boveri (ABB) following the 1988 merger between Swedish ASEA and Swiss BBC.
Establishment of TSA
Towards the end of the 1990s, Franz Hrachowitz, Günter Eichhübl, and Robert Tencl founded Trasys Beteiligungs- und Management GmbH with the objective of acquiring ABB's Austrian operations. In June 2000, ABB transferred ownership of this facility to Trasys Beteiligungs- und Management GmbH via a management buyout, after which the company was renamed Traktionssysteme Austria GmbH (TSA), led by Eichhübl and Tencl as managing directors.
Development and Expansion
TSA introduced DACS motors along with convection-cooled traction motors tailored for trams, subway trains, and rapid transit systems. In 2009, TSA entered into a joint venture in India named Medha Traction Equipment, commencing production in Hyderabad by 2013. A manufacturing plant was launched in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2010 and rebranded as Traktionssysteme Bosnia in 2013. The company also established Traction Systems Inc. in Somerville, New Jersey in 2012 to support light rail initiatives in cities including Phoenix, Seattle, and Silicon Valley. In 2019, Traction Systems was created in Shanghai to oversee procurement activities from China.
Recent Progress
In 2020, Voith together with Swiss investment firm PCS Holding acquired a controlling interest in TSA. That same year, TSA invested approximately €1 million to enhance rotor manufacturing processes, resulting in lead times being reduced by more than half. From 2021 through 2024, TSA secured contracts supplying motors for the Berlin subway system and Swiss Federal Railways, as well as traction generators for Plasser & Theurer. Additionally, the company provided electric motors for Sydney's light rail network. In 2024, TSA expanded its headquarters by constructing a new logistics and assembly facility, supporting progress toward creating a TSA City within Wiener Neudorf.
Corporate structure
Traktionssysteme Austria GmbH is held by PCS Holding (48%), Voith (37%), and managing director Robert Tencl (15%). The company employs approximately 1,000 individuals—690 directly within the organization and the remainder through its joint venture in India—and recorded revenues close to €120 million in 2023.
Locations and subsidiaries
TSA maintains operations across Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United States, China, and India, with its technologies implemented in almost 70 nations worldwide. Its affiliated companies include:
- Medha Traction Equipment Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad, India (Joint Venture)
- Traktionssysteme Bosnia d.o.o., Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Traction Systems Inc., Somerville, New Jersey
- Traction Systems China, Shanghai
Products and services
TSA specializes in producing traction motors, gearboxes, and drive systems designed for rail vehicles such as trams, subways, locomotives, and multiple units. The firm also manufactures traction gearboxes and asynchronous motors extensively utilized in electric buses. Furthermore, TSA develops permanent magnet (PM) synchronous generators tailored for applications in road transportation.
Technology and research
In its commitment to advancing electromobility, TSA concentrates on innovative cooling and insulation solutions by employing cutting-edge materials and designs to achieve higher speeds of operation. Their Double Air Cooling System (DACS) incorporates both internal and external air circuits to optimize thermal management. Launched in 2010, the TSA-Dur insulation system improves longevity under demanding conditions. Additionally, TSA conducts research into linear motor technology and magnetic levitation for Hyperloop transport systems aimed at reaching velocities up to 1,000 km/h.
Literature
- Stadler, Gerhard A.; Krebs, Marie (2020). Vom Industriestandort zum Innovationszentrum: 1960 bis 2020. Weitra: Verlag Bibliothek der Provinz. .
References