Stadler Rail celebrates 10 years in the U.S. with major expansion in Salt Lake City

On July 1, Stadler commemorated ten years of building trains in the U.S. with a significant investment in its Salt Lake City operations, unveiling a 245,000-square-foot expansion that increases the total footprint to 475,000 square feet of manufacturing area. The expansion is expected to create up to 300 new local jobs, some of which are youth apprenticeships.

"This milestone reflects not only how far we've come over the past decade, but also our long-term commitment to building trains, creating jobs, and investing in American manufacturing," said Martin Ritter, CEO Stadler North America.

The expanded campus includes a new welding hall, blasting booth, assembly hall, warehouse expansion, and electrical pre-assembly hall - enhancing Stadler's production capacity and ability to serve customers across North America.

Stadler's Chairman of the Board of Directors Peter Spuhler shared the strategic importance of the U.S. market to the company's global growth. "Today is a day of pride, of gratitude. Ten years ago, we made a strategic decision to invest and to build our own factory in the United States. We believed in the potential of the American market. Over the past decade, Stadler has established itself as a true American train manufacturer. Our success was built step by step, project by project, customer by customer."

As part of the event, a ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony was also held for the CNC hall, where side, floor and roof panels made from aluminium extrusions will in future be precisely cut using computer-controlled machines and prepared for subsequent welding. This marks the beginning of the next phase of Stadler's expansion in the United States. Representatives of the Federal Railroad Administration and the State of Utah highlighted Stadler's important role as an innovative rail vehicle manufacturer and employer in the U.S. during their speeches.

Swiss President Guy Parmelin attended the celebration, highlighting the strong economic and innovation ties between Switzerland and the United States.

Stadler has been building trains in Utah since 2016. After initially operating out of a rental facility, the company established its permanent Salt Lake City manufacturing site, which officially opened in 2019. Today, Stadler US employs 674 people locally and continues to expand its workforce and capabilities.

The Salt Lake City facility plays a critical role in delivering major rail projects across the country, including trains for Caltrain (California), Metra (Chicago), TexRail (Fort Worth, Texas), and MARTA (Atlanta).

Following the program, media and guests were given access to exclusive behind-the-scenes tours, including a look at active production lines and major projects underway.

Swiss President Guy Parmelin (left) and Stadler's Chairman of the Board, Peter Spuhler, in the new hall.

Drone image of the expanded plant in Salt Lake City.

The anniversary celebrations were attended by many high-ranking representatives from local politics and industry leaders.