Stadler opened welding facility in Salt Lake City
posted on 30th Sep 2025 09:59
Bright sparks flew on 25 September as Stadler’s brand-new welding facility in Salt Lake City opened, delivering the first locally welded aluminum bodyshell in the company’s North American history. This milestone not only marks an important step forward in passenger rail manufacturing but also brings high-skilled welding jobs to Salt Lake City. The facility is part of the expansion of the current Stadler US factory, where passenger trains for the US market are produced.
“We set out to build more than just trains,” said Martin Ritter, CEO of Stadler North America. “We’re building economic opportunity, stronger supply chains, and a future where American-made trains are synonymous with world-class quality. Today, our welders are proof that it can be done.”
The 4,600 m2 welding hall creates up to 20 new positions for local welders and technicians by the end of 2026. During this ramp-up phase, Stadler’s top welding experts from the company’s competence center in Hungary are on-site in Salt Lake City to share best practices and ensure a seamless transfer of expertise. For the first time, aluminum bodyshells are now being welded on-site rather than shipped from Stadler welding facilities in Europe - slashing transit time as well as increasing the local manufacturing footprint and domestic content of Stadler’s trains.
A Celebration to Remember At the Grand Opening event, Stadler invited local officials, community leaders, and team members for a presentation of the first locally welded car. Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall - on hand to commemorate the occasion - praised Stadler’s investment in local talent and contribution to Utah’s growing advanced manufacturing sector.
With the new welding facility and bodyshell production, Stadler is further strengthening its domestic content creation in the US, increasing it to around 80 %. Of the remaining 20 %, a large proportion of supplies come from Europe. Stadler is currently analyzing all supply chains with the aim of further reducing the proportion of foreign components. Since 2016, the Buy America Act has required Stadler to demonstrate that at least 70 % of its value creation is generated in the USA if US tax money is used for financing the project