EUROPE: Russian wagon manufacturer United Wagon Co is now targeting the 1 435 mm gauge market, where Deputy CEO for Business Development Maxim Kuzemchenko believes there are ‘as-yet-untapped growth opportunities’ for the company.
‘The European market is a key market for us in terms of both the 1 520 mm and 1 435 mm gauge’, Kuzemchenko told Railway Gazette. ‘As a universal manufacturer, we can design and build cars for any railway gauge, and meet any regulations and standards.’
United Wagon Co was recently audited by Deutsche Bahn, enabling it to participate in future tenders to supply one of European’s largest freight operators. ‘Obtaining this status represents an important milestone in the company’s history’, said Kuzemchenko, with the DB approval sending ‘a positive signal to European customers, demonstrating our quality, design and manufacturing capabilities’.
Kuzemchenko United Wagon Co hopes to enter the EU market by supplying flat wagons for intermodal container traffic, the fastest growing European freight sector. ‘We are also considering other types of rolling stock, for the transport of gases, bulk and other cargo’, he added. ‘We can offer high quality and high performance freight cars which are competitive with those of European suppliers.’
- United Wagon will be displaying a flat wagon at InnoTrans 2018 in Berlin next month.
