Testori Americas announced today that it has won a $26 million contract to provide interiors for high speed rail cars in the United States. The company will provide interiors for 230 cars for the New Jersey Transit Authority.
The contract is with Alstom, a French energy and transportation firm with plants all over the world. The interiors will be shipped from Slemon Park to Alstom's New York state facility for final assembly.
"This contract is very good news for our company and for the province of PEI," said Lindo Lapegna, President of Testori Americas. "This three-year contract will ensure we maintain our current employment levels until 2004. As well, we anticipate our future employee requirements will increase substantially, given the level of existing and new business."
Testori Americas has grown from a company which worked primarily on aerospace interiors, to also specialize in interiors for mass transit. Two of the company's largest customers, Alstom and Bombardier, are among the world leaders in mass transit manufacture.
At a plant tour on Thursday, Development Minister Don MacKinnon was guided through a virtual reality program that allows potential buyers of Testori interiors to view a three-dimensional replica of a rail car. This enables clients to see what the final product will look like, giving them various options regarding design, decor and style so they know exactly what to expect.
"The technology that Testori is using, both for developing its designs and in final production, is very impressive," said Minister MacKinnon. "Testori is in a unique position in that it has been able to transition its expertise in the aerospace industry to the mass transit field. I congratulate them on their recent contract and all their success here on Prince Edward Island."
Testori designs virtual prototypes, providing both the manufacturer and the ultimate customer with design solutions which are not only attractive and long lasting, but provide substantial savings in operating costs.
Testori, as is the case with other major companies, has encouraged growth in other Island firms through its ability to subcontract. Presently, there are several subcontracts let to Island firms. This new tier of supply of international products will continue to grow as companies such as Testori compete and win internationally competed projects.
Testori Americas is a manufacturer of hard and soft interiors for the aerospace and mass transit markets. It has continuously grown since establishing on PEI in 1994 and now employs over 100 people in Slemon Park, including their subsidiary Wiebel Aerospace.