Wagon leasing company Ermewa has restructured and refinanced its group debt through a combination of multicurrency secured bank debt and US private placement notes for a total value of circa €1·5bn. It was advised by Watson Farley & Williams, which said it was a ‘complex, high-value transaction, involving specialist rail finance lawyers across our network‘.
Fibre reinforced plastic moulded component manufacturer Compotech has opened a resin transfer moulding and hand layup facility at Nyrigyhazha in Hungary. This complements its sheet moulding compound, reinforced fibre and composites facility at Weinfelden in Switzerland. ‘As well as volume rail interiors and automotive exterior parts, we can now offer our customers bespoke or low-volume production’, the company said.
Fife Council has approved Talgo UK’s application to build a factory at the former Longannet power station site in Scotland, should it win rolling stock orders in the UK. Talgo said the factory would also be used for exports to emerging markets.
Brodie Engineering has installed a 25 kV 50 Hz test facility to enable it to undertake power and traction testing of electric multiple-units at its Kilmarnock site in Scotland.
John Holland has formed a joint venture with Strukton Rail to bid for the next contract to maintain the Country Regional Network in New South Wales. John Holland has held the current contract since 2012. ‘This partnership will help us to better connect our regions with global leading-edge technology’, said Steve Butcher, John Holland’s Executive General Manager, Rail, on December 17. Strukton Rail CEO Jacob Zeeman said the European partner ‘started its technology journey in asset management over 20 years ago and has a proven record of reducing maintenance costs and providing guaranteed availability in rail networks across Europe.’
