Hungarian railway company Train Europe has acquired a 76% stake in Romanian rolling stock manufacturer Petroutilaj-3DRD from French firm Chemins de Fer Départementaux (CFD), Ziarul Financiar reported in April, citing a transaction finalised in January 2025.

The acquisition marks a strategic expansion by Train Europe, which has a growing footprint in Central and Eastern Europe. 

The company plans to take over operations at Petroutilaj’s industrial site in Prahova County, with the intention of modernising and expanding the facility.

CFD, which had previously owned a controlling interest in Petroutilaj-3DRD, will continue to use the Romanian site for the production of new railway equipment. In a statement published on its website, the French company said it would shift its focus to railway manufacturing while maintaining production collaboration with Petroutilaj.

Founded in 1899, Petroutilaj-3DRD began as a repair facility for oil equipment before expanding into the railway sector during the interwar period. The company was nationalised in 1948 and remained state-owned until 2002 when it was privatised and listed on the now-defunct Rasdaq market.

The move is expected to reinforce Train Europe’s industrial capacity in the region. The company has not disclosed the financial terms of the deal or its specific investment plans for the Prahova site.

CFD noted that the transaction aligns with its strategic focus on developing advanced railway technologies while maintaining a production base in Romania through the ongoing partnership.

“The Petroutilaj plant will continue to be a key part of our supply chain as we develop next-generation railway equipment,” the French firm said.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Vichaya Kiatyingangsulee/Dreamstime.com)