As Australia embraces a new era of sustainable transport, technology company ABB is at the forefront of the rail industry’s transformation.
With the establishment of its new Traction Centre of Excellence in Maryborough, Queensland, ABB is delivering cleaner, more efficient solutions for rail operators throughout Australia and New Zealand.
The new facility will be a strategic hub for innovative traction equipment for trains, mining trucks, electric buses, and more.
Its first major project will be producing traction converters and motors for the Queensland Train Manufacturing Program (QTMP), which will deliver 65 new trains in preparation for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and Paralympic Games.
Beyond that, ABB has big plans to ensure the facility continues to contribute to the region’s rail industry for many years to come.
We spoke to three members of the team – Ali Parvizi (Local Division Manager, Traction – Australia/New Zealand), David Boyle (Project Director QTMP), and Pradip Savaliya (Product Manager, Traction) – to find out more.
The story of ABB
ABB has more than 130 years of history, with a presence in Australia dating back to the 20th century. Today, it employs approximately 110,000 people in more than 100 countries around the world, with over 690 team members in Australia spread across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia.
The company boasts a broad electrical engineering and equipment portfolio and has had major projects in every state in Australia – from supplying traction systems for Queensland Rail’s IMU100/SMU200 fleet retrofit to modernising and hybridising traction systems for 50 trains in Adelaide.
“ABB is a global technology leader in electrification, automation, and traction solutions, supporting the transformation of Australasia’s rail industry toward greater sustainability and operational excellence,” said Parvizi.
“By integrating advanced engineering with digitalisation, ABB empowers rail operators to deliver high-performance mobility – enhancing reliability, energy efficiency, and environmental sustainability across both passenger and freight rolling stock.”
Traction Centre of Excellence
With the establishment of the new Traction Centre of Excellence in Maryborough, ABB is investing deeply in the local economy and the future of Australasian rail. The company is the first to produce traction and auxiliary converters and traction motors in Australia in the built-for-purpose facility.
Additionally, the Centre of Excellence will offer a local service centre for the repair, maintenance, and overhaul of traction batteries and converters, ensuring ABB can meet the needs of its growing installed base across Australia and New Zealand.
David Boyle, who is based in Maryborough as the Project Director for QTMP, said the project is supporting the local market – both to satisfy the contract and for the benefit of the region.
“This is a huge investment from our side,” he said. “We’ve got very specific requirements for our converters.
“We typically invest about six months of engineering time with a supplier before they are ready to deliver us our first converter cabinet.
“We’re developing local skills to build up a sustainable supply chain that will continue far beyond the QTMP project.”
ABB has hired locally for its new team of 20 staff at the Traction Centre of Excellence.
“Maryborough’s biggest export has been its people,” Boyle shared. “We’re proud that 90 per cent of our new team has come from the Maryborough or Hervey Bay areas, which is great for the local economy and the community.
“Our people are our competitive advantage – they’re the most important asset in the business.”
High-quality training is a major priority for ABB, which has even sent some of its key production personnel overseas to its factories in China, Poland and Switzerland.
“They spent several months over there learning the production and manufacturing techniques and have come back with a lot of knowledge, as well as an international network of contacts. ABB truly embraces the concept of collaboration,” said Boyle.
“We invest heavily in training as we see the great value it brings.”
He said ABB has received positive feedback from the community as work progresses on the Traction Centre of Excellence.
“Maryborough is a historical regional location with a relatively small population of 15,000, which has a long history in rail projects.
“We’re engaging with the community whenever we can to keep people informed, and we’ve had a lot of people visit the factory.
“It’s been great to see how enthusiastic the community is about it – they can see that we’re setting up for the long-term.”
A sustainable solution
ABB is supporting Australia’s rail industry to transition away from diesel-powered transport applications through its energy-efficient electric propulsion systems.
Pradip Savaliya, Traction Product Manager at ABB, said: “We offer products and integrated solutions across the entire lifecycle that help Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and operators to improve reliability, performance and energy efficiency. We are committed to bringing the most energy-efficient solution to the market, to support sustainable rail transport and achieve emissions reduction targets.”
ABB’s multi-level traction converter technology optimises energy efficiency, system performance and weight.
Savaliya explained that the main advantage of the multi-level inverter topology is the ability to reduce voltage stress on traction motors and transformers by introducing an intermediate voltage level.
“This design facilitates smoother power delivery and diminishes harmonic losses, leading to lower thermal stresses and an extended lifespan of traction system components.”
Savaliya said waveform quality and reduced harmonic distortion enable the use of lighter, more compact traction motors and transformers, reducing overall train weight and boosting operational efficiency.
“Lower energy consumption also facilitates more efficient use of existing rail infrastructure, enhancing capacity without the need for extensive new construction,” he added.
In situations where full electrification of rolling stock is not possible, ABB offers alternatives, such as hybridisation.
An example of this is when the company was upgrading the traction systems for Adelaide Metro’s fleet.
“The customer approached us with concerns about the impact of diesel train operations at Adelaide Railway Station, particularly regarding air and noise pollution,” Parvizi said.
“We were able to work closely with them to convert the trains to a hybrid train operating on a battery, so the diesel engine could be switched off for up to 20 minutes while in the underground station.”
Parvizi said this not only solved the customer’s problem but delivered many other benefits.
“Adelaide Metro is experiencing up to 30 per cent in fuel savings, as well as saving an estimated 2400 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually,” he continued.
Looking to the future
Parvizi said ABB has built a highly capable and committed team across all core functions, from sales, marketing, and product management to engineering, procurement, and service.
“I’m proud of the depth of expertise within our organisation and the passion our people bring to their work every day,” he said.
“With experienced project managers, skilled production teams, and a locally embedded workforce at our Traction Centre of Excellence, we’re delivering meaningful impact for our customers and the broader region.
“At ABB, we continue to invest in talent development because we recognise that our people are our most valuable asset.”
With growing demand for sustainable transport solutions, ABB aims to secure long-term opportunities in manufacturing, service, and retrofitting.
“We have a strong pipeline in Australia and New Zealand, particularly in rail,” said Parvizi.
“Aside from QTMP, we are working on two major projects that will bring us up to mid-2030 and we’re in the sales phase for a number of other projects.
“We’re very positive about the future of our business and we expect to be here for the long haul. This is how we are helping the rail industry outrun – leaner and cleaner.”
