Stadler’s $31m Astana expansion brings aluminium carbody production to Central Asia

Stadler is moving ahead with the next phase of its Astana plant in Kazakhstan, investing more than KZT 14 billion (USD 31 million) in new welding and painting shops for aluminium railcar bodies.

The project will create the first aluminium carbody production facility of its kind in Central Asia. The new capacity is being developed under long-term contracts to supply and maintain 557 passenger coaches for Kazakhstan’s national railway operator, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ).

Stadler Kazakhstan said the new shops, along with the modernisation of existing production facilities, will increase the plant’s capacity by 25 per cent and create around 100 additional jobs. The Astana plant currently has capacity to produce 80 railcars a year. The company said, “Once the welding and painting shops for aluminium car bodies are up and running, and we’ve modernised existing production, we plan to raise capacity to at least 100 railcars a year.” 

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The company said capacity could eventually reach 150 railcars a year if it receives additional rolling stock orders.

Stadler has not disclosed the supplier of the aluminium profiles used for the carbodies, citing commercial confidentiality. The company confirmed that France-based Constellium is among the strategic aluminium profile suppliers for the Stadler Group. Constellium CEO Ingrid Jörg also visited Kazakhstan in 2025, where she met representatives of Kazakh companies and government ministries.

The first railcars produced at the Astana plant were built and certified in 2025. KTZ raised technical issues during the acceptance process, including concerns related to the braking system. Stadler said it subsequently resolved the issues and made further improvements. KTZ has now accepted the coaches, and it is working on a date to put them into service.

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Stadler previously had aluminium carbody welding and painting capacity at its Fanipol facility in Belarus, but officially halted production there in 2022. The Astana plant is now developing new aluminium carbody welding and painting capacity as part of its expansion.