Schaeffler and Alstom deepen strategic partnership within the Alstom Alliance
Schaeffler and Alstom are widening their Alstom Alliance cooperation at InnoTrans 2026 to cover regional trains, commuter trains, trams and metros, backed by regional bearing reconditioning centres.
- Hall 21, Stand 430
- 2024
- 100%
What Happened
Schaeffler and Alstom are deepening their strategic partnership within the Alstom Alliance, using the InnoTrans 2026 rail fair in Berlin to build the basis for joint growth in the rail industry. Schaeffler is exhibiting in Hall 21, Stand 430. The closer cooperation covers products and solutions for regional trains, commuter (S-Bahn) trains, trams and metros. Both companies say products and solutions tailored precisely to customers' needs are meant to keep expanding their customers' competitiveness.
“Alstom is a strategically important partner for us in the significant growth market for rail vehicles. With products and solutions tailored precisely to their needs, we continuously expand our customers' competitiveness. We are pleased to deepen cooperation with Alstom to further drive our joint growth.”
The Alstom Alliance is the programme in which Alstom develops innovative, reliable and sustainable solutions for the rail sector together with selected strategic partners, from the early concept phase through to delivery. In rolling bearing technology for locomotives and high-speed trains, engineers from Schaeffler and Alstom have already been cooperating more intensively since the alliance was concluded in 2024, for example in product development and on sustainability. At InnoTrans 2026 the two partners are extending that cooperation to regional trains, commuter trains, trams and metros.
“The partnership with Schaeffler is a strong example of how strategic collaboration can drive innovation, competitiveness and sustainability. Through closer cooperation we create a more resilient supply chain and at the same time support Alstom's future programmes and its long-term goals.”
Schaeffler and Alstom conclude the Alstom Alliance, after which their engineers cooperate more intensively on rolling bearing technology for locomotives and high-speed trains, including product development and sustainability.
The two companies agree to cooperate more intensively on sustainability.
The first workshops for the regional reconditioning centres are equipped and trained accordingly.
At InnoTrans 2026 in Berlin, Schaeffler and Alstom announce they are deepening their partnership, extending closer cooperation to regional trains, commuter trains, trams and metros.
Schaeffler and Alstom already agreed at InnoTrans 2024 to cooperate more intensively on sustainability. Schaeffler's concrete approach is to build regional reconditioning centres so that bearings can be reconditioned locally on a larger scale, with Alstom as pilot customer. The first workshops have already been equipped and trained for this. Under Schaeffler's 100-percent return service, the reconditioned bearings are to meet the same quality and safety standards as new products, warranty included.
“Such regional reconditioning centres are intended to be created worldwide in the longer term and to be open to further partners of Schaeffler as well. This way we not only promote the sustainable use of resources. With our 100-percent return service we ensure that the reconditioned bearings also meet the same quality and safety standards as new products, warranty included.”
Previously from Schaeffler Group
Schaeffler has been building out its rail portfolio around this year's InnoTrans. In September 2026 the company said it is developing a series of high-performance wheelset bearings for high-speed trains that target speeds of 400 km/h and more while more than doubling maintenance intervals. It is also showing an axlebox generator, its ITRS power system and electromechanical actuators at InnoTrans 2026 in Berlin, technology it says can automate rail freight wagons.
- Schaeffler develops high-speed rail wheelset bearings for 400 km/h and longer maintenance intervals
- Schaeffler showcases axlebox generators and power-on-demand actuators for automated rail freight at InnoTrans 2026
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Schaeffler Group's official releases.
Why this matters
The announcement shows how a rail manufacturer is pulling a supplier deeper into its programmes, with Alstom saying closer cooperation makes for a more resilient supply chain. For Schaeffler it opens a rail market it calls significant and growing, and the reconditioning centres are intended to be set up worldwide and opened to other partners as well. Rail operators and other industrial customers could eventually use the same reconditioning service, not just Alstom as pilot customer.
Terms in This Story
- Alstom Alliance
- A programme in which a rolling stock manufacturer develops solutions for the rail sector together with selected strategic partners, from the early concept phase through to delivery.
- InnoTrans
- An international trade fair for rail transport technology, held in Berlin.
- Rolling bearing
- A machine component that supports a rotating shaft and reduces friction between moving parts, used in vehicles such as trains.
- Reconditioning
- Restoring used components so they can be put back into service instead of being replaced with new ones.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.