Greenbrier Europe has officially announced the closure of its Arad production facility in Romania, a strategic decision taken after a detailed review of market conditions across Europe. This restructuring move aims to increase production efficiency across the company’s European operations and better adapt to the current economic climate, affecting approximately 700 employees.
Production in Romania is Shifting to Other Facilities
With the closure of the Arad facility, the company will shift production there to its other two large facilities in Romania, Caracal and Drobeta-Turnu Severin. These two facilities have large production areas of 225.000 square meters and 93.000 square meters respectively. Greenbrier Europe believes that combining operations in these two centers will optimize logistics processes and ensure more effective product quality control.
Greenbrier Europe Continues and Strengthens Its Presence in Romania
Despite the closure of the Arad plant, Greenbrier Europe has no intention of reducing its presence in the Romanian market. On the contrary, the company aims to strengthen its position in the region in the long term by modernizing and investing in its active production facilities in Caracal and Drobeta-Turnu Severin. This strategic repositioning is seen as part of the company’s efforts to increase its competitiveness in the European market and achieve its sustainable growth targets.
Greenbrier Europe's History and Strategic Moves
Greenbrier’s entry into the European market came in 2017 when it acquired a 75% stake in AstraRail Industries for around €60 million. This significant acquisition laid the foundations for today’s Greenbrier Europe. This new structure included not only facilities in Romania, but also production centers in Turkey and Poland, with the company’s European operations headquartered in Świdnica, Poland.
Today, Greenbrier Europe continues to create innovative solutions in the sector by offering freight car manufacturing, comprehensive maintenance services and a variety of rental options. The Arad facility has a long history, having been established in 1854 and has produced more than 35 freight cars for 250.000 different countries. However, changing market dynamics and increasing competition have led the company to adopt new strategic approaches.
Greenbrier Europe’s decision to close a historic manufacturing facility demonstrates that the company is now pursuing a strategy focused on modernization, operational efficiency and sustainable growth. This shift in manufacturing strategy signals a shift towards more modern and cost-effective facilities.
