Poland’s largest manufacturer of trains and trams, Pesa, has announced the acquisition of German rival HeiterBlick, as it seeks to expand its operations across Europe.
In a statement on January 9, the state-owned Pesa announced that in late December 2025 it signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares of HeiterBlick, with the transaction set to be finalised in the first quarter of 2026. The financial terms of the deal have not yet been announced.
“We believe that Pesa and HeiterBlick complement each other perfectly – the merger provides a synergy of expertise and mutual exchange of experiences of both teams, which is crucial for strengthening our position in Europe,” said Pesa CEO Krzysztof Zdziarski in a statement.
Speaking later to state broadcaster TVP, he said that his firm “wants to enter the German market, we want to enter Europe, and that’s our goal”.
The news was welcomed by finance minister Andrzej Domanski, who hailed it as a perfect example of a state initiative, called Team Poland, that sought to support Polish firms looking to expand internationally.
“The acquisition of a German company by a Polish manufacturer is a modern model of cooperation between the state and business, which allows our companies to conquer key markets and build leadership positions in their industries,” said Domanski.
“Pesa’s international expansion strengthens the competitiveness and innovation of the Polish economy and reinforces Poland’s image as a country capable of creating and exporting advanced technologies,” he added. “This transaction demonstrates that we can operate on a European scale.”
Last month, Pesa signed a strategic financing agreement worth 6.8 billion zloty (EUR 1.6 billion) with a consortium of 20 Polish and foreign financial institutions, with the aim of doubling its production capacity.
Pesa, headquartered in Bydgoszcz, was founded in 1851, at a time when the city was known as Bromberg and was part of German Prussia.
Initially created as a plant for servicing rolling stock, it is now a major manufacturer, employing 4,000 people directly and producing vehicles used in 11 countries, including Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic and Ukraine, as well as Poland itself.
Pesa says that the Leipzig-based HeiterBlick, a century-old family-owned firm which specialises in producing trams and light rail vehicles, will help it both increase production and expand further into foreign markets.
“We are pleased to have found a strong partner in Pesa,” said HeiterBlick’s managing director, Samuel Kermelk.
He noted that “HeiterBlick will not disappear”, with the firm’s name and logo continuing to be used. (Notes from Poland)