Chinese rail car maker CRRC MA USA is planning to ramp up plans for its $95 million factory at the former Westinghouse site in East Springfield, including efforts to partner with area institutions to develop a workforce.
Senior Consultant Bobby Doyle said CRRC MA has already identified the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County and Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy in Springfield as key partners.
Technicians at the Great Boston transit system’s rail yard are test driving Springfield’s future.
The prototype Orange Line cars represent a step toward greater reliability and frequency of service for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
The CRRC MA rail car manufacturing company drew a large, diverse crowd of vendors and suppliers to its $95 million factory Thursday to discuss work opportunities there and with other participating firms.
CRRC hosted the outreach event for minority- and women-owned businesses at its Page Boulevard factory, the final such event before production begins, officials said. The Chinese-owned company will start building new cars for the MBTA Orange Line in April at the 204,000 square-foot factory floor.
The first four uncompleted shells for MBTA Orange Line subway cars arrived at the CRRC MA plant in East Springfield this week.
Workers there are unpacking them and getting ready to begin assembly work, said spokeswoman Lydia Rivera. She expects work on completing the cars to begin in earnest sometime in the next month or so.
The cars arrived by truck in white wrapping after being shipped from China to the port of Philadelphia, Rivera said.
