Rail supplier news from Wabtec and Blume Global (Jan. 4)

Wabtec Corp. has acquired the railway friction business from Masu, a manufacturer of friction products for the rail and automotive industries. The acquisition, which has received necessary regulatory approvals and is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to expand Wabtec’s installed base and accelerate growth across its brake product portfolio. Valued at approximately $34 million, the acquisition will strengthen Wabtec’s position as a leading rail manufacturer in India, Wabtec officials said in a press release.

Blume Global has acquired LiveSource, a multi-enterprise supply chain business network for complex manufacturers with offices throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. LiveSource’s sourcing and procurement orchestration technology pairs well with Blume’s multimodal international TMS and transportation visibility capabilities, Blume Global officials said in a press release. The acquisition closed at the end of 2021.