Hitachi Opens New U.S. Railcar Plant

WASHINGTON DC, Sep 10 (News On Japan) - Hitachi has begun full-scale operations at a new railcar factory in Maryland in the United States after investing $100 million (approximately 15 billion yen), positioning the site as a core hub to build trains that run across the country, notably in Baltimore, Washington and Pennsylvania.

“We recognize that America is at a critical juncture in addressing aging infrastructure,” said Hitachi President Toshiaki Tokunaga.

The project emphasizes local production for local consumption. Rows of newly built cars bound for Baltimore already line the shop floor. The company plans to manufacture 658 railcars, including units for the Washington, D.C., subway. To bolster quality and safety, the site incorporates AI-driven production systems and uses dog-like robots to inspect rolling stock.

The investment is expected to create 1,300 local jobs, with an estimated annual economic impact exceeding 50 billion yen.

Construction of the plant was approved in 2022 under the Biden administration. Yet the facility is now being touted by the Trump administration. “This factory symbolizes the administration’s efforts to deliver large, compelling infrastructure projects that benefit the American people,” Transportation Secretary Duffy said. The White House’s social-media account posted a photo of the president with arms outstretched accompanied by the phrase “Golden Age.”

In September, Hitachi also announced plans to invest $1 billion (about 148 billion yen) in a new U.S. plant to manufacture power infrastructure equipment.

“The recent environment in the United States includes developments that are difficult to foresee,” Tokunaga said. “We are continuing to strengthen our intelligence function to grasp the government’s direction.” For Japanese companies, the challenge of navigating shifting policy signals under the Trump administration looks set to persist.

Source: TBS

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