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Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.
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 Friday, state-owned Pesa announced that it had, in late December, 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”.
‼️BUM ‼️PESA kupuje niemieckiego producenta tramwajów – mamy kolejną polską firmę, która rozpycha się na zachodzie 🇵🇱💪🇩🇪
Więcej: https://t.co/DRtg882cGk#tramwaj #kolej #Pesa #Bydgoszcz #Polska #HeiterBlick @pesabydgoszcz @Grupa_PFR pic.twitter.com/YTrtBOWgNB— Lukasz Malinowski (@Lukasz_Malin) January 9, 2026
The news was welcomed by finance minister Andrzej Domański, who hailed it as a perfect example of a state initiative, called Team Poland, that seeks 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 Domański.
“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 (€1.6 billion) with a consortium of 20 Polish and foreign financial institutions, with the aim of doubling its production capacity.
Despite a slowing global economy, Polish businesses are continuing to expand abroad, as highlighted by Orlen and InPost's recent overseas acquisitions.
This has led to Poland's third consecutive year of outward foreign investment growth https://t.co/v37NczSwXt
— Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) November 8, 2024
Pesa, which is 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, quoted by the Rynek Kolejowy news website. He noted that “HeiterBlick will not disappear”, with the firm’s name and logo continuing to be used.
Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.
Main image credit: Pesa (press materials)
Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
