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Zwickau is worried about new trams: the manufacturer Heiterblick goes bankrupt!
Insolvency of the Leipzig manufacturer Heiterblick endangers the new tram fleet in Zwickau and Görlitz. Uncertainties remain.
Zwickau is worried about new trams: the manufacturer Heiterblick goes bankrupt!
The future of the new tram fleet in Zwickau is in jeopardy. The background is the insolvency of the Leipzig tram manufacturer Heiterblick, which was filed for in April 2023. This situation leads to uncertainty in the local transport project, even if there is still optimism in Zwickau. “The orders will initially continue to be processed unchanged during the insolvency proceedings,” said those responsible.
However, the appearance of confidence is clouded by current developments. Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) expressed concerns at an on-site visit in Görlitz that the low-floor tram cars ordered there would actually be delivered. This statement was made during a citizens' dialogue at Postplatz in Görlitz, where Kretschmer emphasized that a new tender for the vehicles could be necessary if the situation at Heiterblick did not improve.
Background to bankruptcy
Heiterblick justified its self-administration insolvency with the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic effects of the Russian attack on Ukraine. In July 2023, the Leipzig district court opened regular insolvency proceedings because the company was unable to free itself from financial difficulties. This illustrates the tense situation of the transport companies in Saxony, which are dependent on the company's donations and products.
The mayor of Görlitz, Octavian Ursu, and André Wendler, the head of the Görlitz transport company, have already presented a photo montage of the integration of the new tram into the cityscape. These plans are now in jeopardy, illustrated by Kretschmer's concerns about fulfilling the orders. In Zwickau and beyond, it is still hoped that the situation will stabilize and a workable solution will be found after the bankruptcy.
Reports from the region show that local transport in Saxony is facing major challenges, which are exacerbated by the uncertainties at Heiterblick. The next steps in this process will depend primarily on further developments in the insolvency proceedings.
In the current situation, it should be noted that the local transport project in the region has slipped, but optimism will be maintained as long as there are still prospects for moving the projects forward.
For further information on the background to the insolvency and the associated effects on transport planning in Saxony, visit [Die Freie Presse](https://www.freiepresse.de/zwickau/zwickau/insolvenz-beim-fabrik-rechte-zwickaus-neue-strassenbahn Flotte-auf-der-kippe-artikel13887114) and Sächsische.de.