PESA acquires Heiterblick

On 31 December 2025 the Polish company PESA SA of Bydgoszcz started moves to acquire 100% of the share capital of the German rolling stock builder HeiterBlick GmbH of Leipzig (in administration). Financial close is expected before the end of the first quarter of 2026, securing 250 jobs at the Leipzig factory. The successful Polish tram builder sees the acquisition of HeiterBlick as a way to expand its penetration in to the western European market. The merger was predicated on HeiterBlick retaining the confidence of the majority of its existing customers, with Dortmund, Leipzig and Würzburg willing to maintain their orders despite delivery delays. The decision by Leipzig City Council to confirm an order for 25 45m air-conditioned trams was crucial. 

 

Krzysztof Zdiarski, President of the PESA Board of management, said, ‘We believe the PESA and HeiterBlick complement each other perfectly – the merger provides a synergy of competencies and the mutual integration of the experiences of both teams, which is crucial for strengthening our position in Europe’. 

 

HeiterBlick had an order book of 92 trams (plus 157 options) when it entered administration due to lack of working capital. The cities of Görlitz (9+6) and Zwickau (6+12) have since withdrawn from the Sachsentram consortium and are seeking an alternative supplier. PESA has delivered nearly 1000 trams to 20 cities in Europe.