AusRAIL, Market Sectors

Siemens trackside tech gets ?Australian Made? tag

<span class="" id="parent-fieldname-description"> Multinational technology developer Siemens has been awarded the ‘Australian Made’ trade mark for six of its rail products. </span> <p>Point machines, trainstops, plugboards, signals, slide detectors and level crossing flashers manufactured by Siemens in Australia will now wear the trade mark, which can only be awarded by the Australian Made Campaign, a not-for-profit company under contract from the federal government.</p><p>Siemens Australia CEO, Jeff Connolly, called the award a great achievement, saying Siemens was the only major multinational technology company to provide trackside signalling products manufactured in Australia.</p><p>He is able to make that claim because, in May, Siemens bought Invensys Rail, an Australian engineer and product manufacturer in the signalling market.</p><p>“The acquisition makes Siemens a formidable participant in the increasingly important rail infrastructure sector in Australia,” Connolly said.</p><p>Siemens hopes the ‘Australian Made’ trade mark will highlight its product in the eyes of rail operators, looking to ensure they meet Australian standards.</p><p>Making the technology in Australia also ensures it’s ready for Australian conditions, and retains local skills and knowledge, Siemens argues.</p><p>Ian Harrison, of the Australian Made Campaign, was pleased to have Siemens on board.</p><p>“Australian manufacturing plays an important role in our economy and an organisation such as Siemens Rail is a major part of this,” Harrison said.</p><p>“It is great to have Siemens Rail on board the campaign promoting local manufacturing.”</p>