Stadler Rail examines appeal against SBB order to Siemens
Keystone-SDA
Stadler Rail has raised the prospect of a legal appeal against the Swiss Federal Railways’ CHF2.1 billion order for new double-decker trains from Siemens. Stadler chairman Peter Spuhler claims it was a wrong decision in an interview with the Sonntagszeitung newspaper.
Spuhler explained that Swiss Federal Railway’s valuation matrix would be “seriously analysed” and an appeal would be lodged with the Federal Administrative Court in St. Gallen within 20 days if the suspicion that the valuation was too low was confirmed.
The price difference between Stadler and Siemens was only 0.6%, which is why so-called soft factors were decisive. Stadler was rated significantly lower for these factors, such as sustainability and maintenance. “This is incomprehensible to me, and it looks as if an attempt was made to underpin the decision with such assessments because of the narrow price difference,” Spuhler continued.
‘The shock runs deep’
He also criticised the fact that the tried-and-tested Stadler concept had been put at a disadvantage compared to a new Siemens train. “The shock is really deep for all 6,000 Stadler employees, including our more than 200 suppliers from all over Switzerland. We all hoped that we would be able to keep this major order in Switzerland,” Spuhler continued.
On Friday, the German company Siemens Mobility was awarded the contract for 116 new double-decker trains for the Zurich S-Bahn and regional transport in western Switzerland. A total of three bidders were in the running for the CHF2.1 billion contract. Swiss Federal Railways’ CEO Vincent Ducrot told the media that the decisive factors in the decision were the investment costs, operating costs, maintenance costs and sustainability.
Adapted from German by DeepL/ac
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