According to Alstom's 2023 Economic Impact Report compiled by EY, in the financial year 2022/23, it supported a contribution of nearly £1bn to the UK and Ireland's GDP.
From its headquarters in Derby and 36 other locations around the UK and Ireland, the report reveals that Alstom works with 1,144 UK & Ireland suppliers and supports over 17,000 jobs, as well as delivering some of the country's biggest rail programmes.
Alstom has been a presence in the UK rail industry for 200 years and recently celebrated the bicentenary of Robert Stephenson & Co's factory in Newcastle, which later became part of Alstom. As the UK continues to rebuild after the last few years, the company is once again at the forefront of the UK's next rail revolution.
Through AVENTRA, which is the UK's largest train production programme for a generation, it is supporting governments, train operators, rolling stock owners, infrastructure owners, and maintenance staff by increasing passenger numbers, raising revenue and improving railway reliability, while also meeting decarbonisation targets.
EY's report shows that as well as supporting a contribution of nearly £1 billion to the country's GDP, Alstom employs 6,280 employees s and supports an additional 10,981 indirect and induced jobs through the supply chain, with over three-quarters of its suppliers based in the UK and Ireland. During 2022/2023 the company spent over £818 with UK and Irish suppliers, representing 68% of its total procurement spend in the period.
As well as supporting British jobs, innovation, and world-leading manufacturing, Alstom's investment in the railways positively impacts other transport users and the wider society, economy and environment. During 2022/23 the company was also instrumental in completing Transport the track and signalling infrastructure for London's Elizabeth line, over which Alstom's Class 345 AVENTRA trains operate.
Each year, Alstom creates valuable employment opportunities, by recruiting over 100 new apprentices and graduates and ensuring growing diversity through its ‘Voices' groups and a biannual Equality, Diversity and Inclusion census. It also plays a wider role in the community, by supporting numerous community initiatives, having contributed £849,000 in philanthropic grants in the UK & Ireland since 2016/17 through the Alstom Foundation and the UK & Ireland Community Action Plan.
Nick Crossfield, Managing Director of Alstom UK & Ireland commented, “This report highlights the value that Alstom provides to the UK and Irish economies. With a heritage of 200 years in the UK, we continue to support thousands of jobs across the country, with our 37 sites the home of some of the UK's biggest and best-known train manufacturing and refurbishment projects, including the Elizabeth line, HS2 and the iconic West Coast Pendolino fleet.
“And looking to the future – within this financial period we are due to finish delivering the AVENTRA orderbook, totalling over 2,600 cars, continue to deliver the two largest major signalling frameworks for Network Rail in Control Period 6, continue to support a large portion of the UK's installed train fleet and prepare for the manufacture of 54 HS2 trains which will roll out of our Derby factory. A true demonstration of Alstom's continued economic contribution to the UK and Ireland.”
