CRRC rail company breaks ground in Springfield, declares global ambitions beyond China merger

China’s rail industry behemoth CRRC has its sights set on international expansion.

The result of a merger between the state-owned companies China CNR Corp. and CSR Corp., CRRC instantly became one of the largest industrial companies in the world when it was created June 1. While most of its business is domestic, CNR has already made headway into international markets, winning a $566 million contract to build subway cars for Boston’s MBTA in Springfield and a deal to modernize Buenos Aires’ subway system in Argentina.

At the groundbreaking for its subway car manufacturing facility at the long-vacant Westinghouse Electric facility in Springfield on Thursday, company officials said they were focused on Massachusetts but had their eye on nation-wide projects