DIESEL engine maker MTU reported a 16% growth in sales in the rail sector during 2002, with a total of 1010 engines and PowerPacks ordered. The most important contribution came from underfloor drive units for diesel multiple-units, with almost 400 PowerPack units supplied to Alstom, Bombardier and Siemens. 80 PowerPacks were ordered for use on MÁV DMUs.
Series 4000 engines dominated MTU’s sales to the locomotive market last year. By November MTU had delivered 65 of its 8V 4000 R41 engines to German Railway as part of a programme to re-engine Class 290 locos. DB plans to re-engine around 400 locos. The 16V 4000 engine was supplied to Siemens, for use on new Class 2016 locos for Austrian Federal Railways. Spare parts were the main source of sales related to the Series 396 engine.
Chairman of MTU Friedrichshafen and head of the DaimlerChrysler Off-Highway Division Dr Rolf Hanssen reported ’more difficult’ market conditions across all sectors, with a ’downward movement’ in world demand for diesel engines during 2002. But despite this, sales across the company were up 12·8% to €1·27bn. The industrial engines unit, which includes rail, was responsible for 8% of revenue.
