Skoutelas Highlights Lasting Benefits at Opening of Siemens Rail Manufacturing Hub

Investing $220 million, Siemens Mobility opened a new manufacturing and services hub in Lexington, NC. APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the 200-acre Rolling Stock and Rail Service facility, which will create more than 500 jobs when fully operational.

At the ceremony, Skoutelas noted the importance of the event, not only for Lexington and North Carolina but for the over $100 billion public transportation industry. “One of the most exciting parts of my job is seeing how communities, private companies, and local and state governments come together to make life better.” This includes the skilled workers who will be employed at the facility, the more than 2,000 suppliers and service companies that will support the facility, and the millions of riders who will enjoy improved mobility.

He also spoke about APTA’s mission to advocate for public transportation funding by showing how investments, like the one in Lexington, create lasting benefits. APTA’s most recent research from its forthcoming 2026 Fact Book shows that:

• Every $1 invested in transit returns $5 to the U.S. economy
• Almost 80 percent of all federal dollars spent on public transportation flows to the private sector, including more than 3,000 American suppliers across all 50 states
• 9 in 10 trips on transit are to earn, spend, or invest in the local economy
• For every $1 billion invested to expand or modernize public transportation, more than $250 million is generated in federal, state, and local tax revenue

Locally, the Siemens Mobility Rail Facility will boost North Carolina’s economy by $1.6 billion over the next 12 years. The project will create jobs and grow small businesses in the state and will strengthen the skilled manufacturing base.