BRIDGEPORT, N.J.—Pandrol USA L.P. has acquired the CDM Track business unit from Belgium-based CDM, including its Resin Bonded Rubber RBSI manufacturing segment in France.
Financial details of the transaction—closed earlier this year—were not disclosed. Patrick Carels, managing director of the Bridgeport-based Pandrol CDM Track business, said discussions on the deal started in December 2012.
The addition of CDM's products and systems—now known as Pandrol CDM Track—will enhance Pandrol's existing product portfolio for global track infrastructure markets, which the company believes will be a significant benefit to customers around the world.
“Synergies (exist) both on technical and commercial points of views,” Carels said. “CD Track has products and systems not present in the Pandrol platform and vice versa, and CDM Track is present in parts of the world where Pandrol wasn't and vice versa.”
Carels said customers will have added choices, noting that “transit clients will from now on have choice from the full range of track resilient solutions—ballasted, slab and embedded track—that weren't available from us before.”
Pandrol CDM Track sees growth opportunities based on the ongoing transit needs in the U.S. and Canada.
“Now with a full range of track resilience solutions and the CDM-USP/UST undertie-pad technology, we can offer our customers heavy haul and main line extra savings in track infrastructure cost,” he said.
All employees from the merging organizations will remain with Pandrol, and the organization is busy hiring people to cope with the increase in demand for a wide variety of manufacturing and administrative roles.
Carels expects Pandrol CDM Track will hire more than 20 employees in the next year or two.
All former CDM Track facilities and offices will be maintained in the countries where Pandrol has no presence, Carels said. In countries where Pandrol has a strong presence, all CDM Track companies will be closed, such as the Skokie, Ill., location.
CDM Track historically was a manufacturer of noise and vibration products for ballasted and slab track, as well as embedded rail. Pandrol, known for track fasteners and resilient track systems, is part of the Delachaux Group.