SCHUMER STATEMENT ON COMPLETION OF ALSTOM’S $75 MILLION, 250+ JOB EXPANSION AT HORNELL CAR BODY SHELL PRODUCTION FACILITY; SENATOR SECURED $3.4 MILLION IN FED FUNDING TO BRING EXPANSION TO LIFE & CONTINUE TO GROW SOUTHERN TIER RAIL CAR MANUFACTURING
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today released the following statement on the completion of Alstom’s Plant 4, a new $75 million, 250+ job expansion at its Hornell campus, to house a new state-of -art, car body shell production facility to support production of 200 new multi-level commuter cars for the Chicago Metra Commuter Rail System, and enhance the company’s competitiveness for future projects in Hornell. In 2021, Schumer helped secure $3.4 million in critical federal funding to make the construction of Alstom’s Plant 4 a reality.
“It’s full steam ahead for Plant 4, Alstom’s new Hornell cutting-edge manufacturing facility! I was proud to secure $3.4 million in federal funding to put Alstom on the fast track to expand and house this new manufacturing facility. The opening of Plant 4 today is a win-win-win for American manufacturing leadership, the Southern Tier economy, and Alstom’s powerhouse union workforce, getting even stronger with 250 new good-paying jobs,” said Senator Schumer. “Today, Alstom solidifies the Southern Tier and New York State as the beating heart for its North American operations. I’ve long fought to support Alstom’s growth in Steuben County and will continue to fight to ensure Hornell has the resources it needs to be one of the nation’s main hubs for rolling stock manufacturing.”
In 2021, after his direct advocacy, Schumer announced a $3.4 million federal grant from the Economic Development Administration to the Hornell IDA to make improvements to the Shawmut Park site to pave the way for Alstom’s facility expansion. Schumer explained that the project allowed Alstom to build one of the only U.S.-based manufactured rail car shell operations, onshoring manufacturing from overseas and bolstering the rolling stock domestic supply chain. Schumer also helped support Alstom’s successful bid to make passenger rail cars for the Chicago Metra Commuter Rail System at its Hornell facility.
Schumer, a long-standing fighter for Alstom, its workers, and the City of Hornell, has worked tirelessly to support growth at its Steuben County facility, a site that for more than 170 years has been manufacturing and servicing high-quality trains in Hornell. Through his efforts, the workforce has doubled, and the facility has expanded, cementing Alstom and Hornell’s future as a leader in rail car manufacturing in North America. He led the charge, urging USDOT to green light Amtrak's efforts to buy brand new Next Generation High-Speed trains, a necessary step to keep Alstom’s Acela contracting opportunity on track, paving the way for them to compete and win the prestigious contract to build a replacement fleet of Acela high speed trains, adding an estimated 400 jobs at Alstom in Hornell and helping attract over 50 other supplier companies.
Most recently, he successfully delivered nearly $16 million to the Steuben County IDA, who in partnership with Alstom, Norfolk Southern Railway, and Binghamton University’s New Energy New York (NENY) consortium, will develop next generation battery technology for more energy-efficient trains.
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