WILMERDING, Pa., Aug. 6 /EMWNews/ -- Wabtec Corporation

(NYSE: WAB) has expanded its presence in South Africa by establishing joint

ventures to manufacture, supply and service its broad range of products in

the region.



    "Wabtec has provided products -- from brakes shoes to electronic

braking -- to the African market for many years," said Albert J. Neupaver,

Wabtec's president and chief executive officer. "By establishing a local

presence in South Africa, we are making a commitment to expand our

production and service capabilities in this growing market. We believe

customers will benefit from faster response time and direct access to all

of Wabtec's products and services."



    Andrae Nieuwoudt will serve as managing director of the joint ventures,

called Wabtec South Africa and FIP Brakes South Africa (FIPSA). Sibanye

Brakes of South Africa is the minority partner in both. Based at Spartan

Extension, Kempton Park in Johannesburg, the joint ventures meet South

Africa's Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) requirements.



    Wabtec South Africa will manufacture, assemble and service Wabtec

products in the region, including locomotive and freight car braking

equipment, draft gears, transit equipment and electronics. The unit will

also provide installation of Wabtec's electronically controlled pneumatic

(ECP) braking equipment on locomotives and freight cars for Transnet

Freight Rail, the state-owned railway in South Africa. FIPSA will

manufacture friction products and provide customers with access to

worldwide technological and research capabilities, through Wabtec's other

friction operations in Europe, the U.S., India and Australia.



    Wabtec Corporation is a global provider of value-added,

technology-based products and services for the rail industry. Through its

subsidiaries, the company manufactures a range of products for locomotives,

freight cars and passenger transit vehicles. The company also builds new

switcher and commuter locomotives, and provides aftermarket services. The

company has facilities located throughout the world.