Hitachi Rail to add around 1,000 employees in Canada as Thales deal closes

Hitachi Rail says it is adding around 1,000 employees in Canada through its $2.5-billion acquisition of Thales’ Ground Transportation Systems.

The Japanese company says the deal, which closed Friday, will grow its Canadian footprint from around 200 current employees as it expands its presence in North America more broadly.

There are around 9,000 employees making the transition from GTS, which provides signalling, revenue collection, communications and supervision systems.

Hitachi says its own key locations in Japan, Italy, the U.K. and U.S. will be complemented by GTS’ facilities, including in Canada, where its subway technology centre is responsible for a communications system used by more than 100 metro lines worldwide.

It says the deal will strengthen the Canadian business unit’s export potential.

Hitachi Rail chief executive Giuseppe Marino says the acquisition will double the company’s engineering capacity.