Škoda Transtech

Škoda Transtech
TypeLimited company
IndustryRolling stock manufacturing
Founded1985
HeadquartersOulu, Finland
Key peoplePetr Witowski (CEO)
ProductsLow-floor trams, double-deck railway coaches
Revenue€128.7 million (2025)
−€10.3 million (2025)
Number of employees
556 (2025)
ParentŠkoda Transportation
WebsiteOfficial website

Škoda Transtech Oy is a Finnish rolling-stock manufacturer and part of the Czech Škoda Group. Its headquarters are in Oulu and its factory is in Otanmäki, Kajaani. Its main products are low-floor trams and double-deck railway coaches. The company also maintains rolling stock and manufactures welded metal structures under contract.

Transtech began in 1985 as Rautaruukki’s freight-wagon business and later expanded into passenger coaches and trams. Škoda Transportation bought 75% of Transtech in 2015 and the remaining shares in May 2018.

Former Transtech oy logo

History

Transtech was established in 1985 as part of Rautaruukki, which started manufacturing freight wagons in Otanmäki and Taivalkoski. The Otanmäki factory provided replacement employment as the local mine closed, and many former miners moved into wagon production. The first timber wagons were shipped from Otanmäki to the Soviet Union in November 1985, before the factory's official opening in 1986. Soviet orders formed the basis of the factory's early business. The loss of Soviet orders in the early 1990s left the factory with unsold wagons and led to layoffs.

In 1991, Valmet's railway rolling-stock operations in Tampere, which manufactured coaches and locomotives, were incorporated into Transtech. During the 1990s, Otanmäki built the first two Pendolino trains for VR. The factory then used the aluminium-welding techniques developed for the Pendolinos to build double-deck passenger coaches. Rautaruukki sold the Taivalkoski factory to Telatek in 1998.

Rautaruukki sold Transtech to Patentes Talgo in June 1999. The Spanish manufacturer was interested in its aluminium-construction expertise, freight-wagon designs and access to northern European markets. Under Talgo ownership, the company became known as Talgo Oy. Weak demand contributed to a €5.7 million loss in 2003. Finnish investor group Pritech bought the company in March 2007 and changed its name back to Transtech.

Škoda Transportation acquired a 75% stake in August 2015, with the Finnish company Sinituote retaining the remaining shares. Škoda bought Sinituote's 25% stake in May 2018, and the company was renamed Škoda Transtech that October.

Transtech competed with Stadler for an order of 63 trams for Helsinki and Vantaa. Stadler won the tender after Transtech's bid was excluded for failing to meet mandatory technical requirements. Finland's Market Court rejected Transtech's appeal in March 2026, and the Supreme Administrative Court refused leave to appeal in June. Transtech announced in August that it would cut 117 jobs, citing the loss of the order.

Rolling stock

Transtech manufactures railway coaches and low-floor trams, and has also built diesel-electric locomotives. Its products include double-deck passenger, restaurant, sleeping and driving coaches, as well as car carriers and Artic trams.

Vehicle Customer or system Country Notes
Dr16 diesel-electric locomotives VR Finland Transtech manufactured part of the series originally built by Valmet.
Double-deck railway coaches VR Finland Passenger, restaurant, sleeping and driving coaches. VR ordered nine additional sleeping coaches in January 2023.
Car-carrier coaches VR Finland Used on overnight car-train services. VR ordered eight additional vehicles in January 2023.
Artic trams Helsinki tram network Finland Low-floor articulated trams supplied to Helsinki.
Artic trams Schöneiche–Rüdersdorf Germany Two Helsinki prototype vehicles acquired in 2018, followed by a newly built tram in 2019.
ForCity Smart Artic X54 trams Raide-Jokeri Finland Double-ended light rail vehicles manufactured at Otanmäki.
ForCity Smart Artic trams Tampere light rail Finland By the end of 2025, 28 trams had been delivered. A further 7 trams were ordered, along with extensions to lengthen existing vehicles.
Rhein-Neckar-Tram Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr Germany Car bodies and bogie frames welded at Otanmäki; fitting out, bogie assembly and initial testing undertaken in Plzeň.
ForCity Smart Artic trams Uppsala tramway Sweden Contracts signed in June 2026 covered 20 trams, with options for another 18.

Location

The company's office is located in Oulu and its main manufacturing base is in Otanmäki, Kajaani. The company’s sales office as well as maintenance services are located in Helsinki.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Škoda Transtech". Škoda Group. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  2. 1 2 3 "ŠKODA TRANSTECH Oy – Taloustiedot". Suomen Asiakastieto (in Finnish). Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  3. ↑ "Škoda Transtech". Škoda Group. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  4. ↑ "Škoda Transtech". Škoda Group (in German). Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  5. 1 2 Barrow, Keith (2015-08-04). "Škoda acquires controlling stake in Transtech". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  6. ↑ Briginshaw, David (2018-05-21). "Škoda completes takeover of Transtech Finland". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  7. 1 2 Smolander, Mari (2024-06-17). "Vaunutehtaan historiaa näytteille Riihipiha-museolle". Riihipiha (in Finnish). Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  8. ↑ Tauriainen, Antti; Köngäs, Päivi (2026-08-25). "Otanmäen junavaunutehtaalla on kärsitty vuoroin lomautuksista, irtisanomisista ja työvoimapulasta". Yle (in Finnish). Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  9. ↑ Rodríguez, Ángel (June 1999). "Talgo compra la constructora de material rodante finlandesa Transtech" (PDF). Vía Libre (in Spanish). No. 421. pp. 9–10. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  10. ↑ Chamizo, Jorge (2004-02-16). "Talgo busca socio para reflotar su filial finlandesa". Cinco Días (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  11. ↑ "Talgo siirtyi suomalaisten omistukseen". Kaleva (in Finnish). 2007-03-29. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  12. ↑ "Czech company invests in Finnish rail and tram car company". Yle. 2015-08-04. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  13. ↑ "Kajaanissa tehdään jatkossa raitiovaunuja ja junia Škoda Transtechin nimissä". Yle (in Finnish). 2018-10-16. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  14. ↑ "Škoda Transtech valittaa ratikkahankintapäätöksestä – hankinnan kokonaisarvo voi olla jopa 1,6 miljardia euroa". Yle (in Finnish). 2025-10-20. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  15. ↑ "KHO ei myöntänyt valituslupaa Helsingin ja Vantaan alueen raitiovaunuhankintaa koskevassa asiassa" (in Finnish). Supreme Administrative Court of Finland. 2026-06-02. Retrieved 2026-10-29 – via STT Info.
  16. ↑ Korhonen, Tiia; Korkala, Henna (2026-08-25). "117 saa potkut Škoda Transtechilta – taustalla Helsingin hävitty raitiovaunuhankinta". Yle (in Finnish). Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  17. 1 2 "Veturityypit". VR Group (in Finnish). Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  18. 1 2 3 "VR procures new rolling stock for night train traffic from Škoda Transtech". VR Group. 2023-01-18. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  19. ↑ "Ensimmäinen Raide-Jokerin pikaraitiovaunu matkustajien kokeiltavana" (in Finnish). Škoda Transtech. 2021-11-08. Retrieved 2026-10-29 – via STT Info.
  20. ↑ "Tampereen Ratikan vuosi 2025 luvuin – Kuusi uutta pysäkkiä, neljä uutta vaunua ja yli 20 miljoonaa matkaa". Tampereen Ratikka (in Finnish). Retrieved 29 October 2026.
  21. ↑ "Lajinsa ensimmäisen pitkän Tampereen Ratikan molemmat osat saapuvat Tampereelle tällä viikolla". Tampereen Ratikka (in Finnish). 26 May 2026. Retrieved 29 October 2026.
  22. ↑ "Kuljettajien koulutusajot lajinsa ensimmäisellä pitkällä Ratikalla alkavat maanantaina – Valma näkyy katukuvassa myös päiväsaikaan". Tampereen Ratikka (in Finnish). Retrieved 29 October 2026.
  23. ↑ "rnv Rhein-Neckar-Tram: Mile Stones". Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  24. ↑ "Viktig milstolpe för Uppsala spårväg" (in Swedish). Region Uppsala. 2026-06-30. Retrieved 2026-10-29.