United Wagon Company (UniWagon) has signed a new contract with particleboards manufacturer Kronospan to supply 500 new generation platforms for timber products transportation. As a result of the transaction, Kronospan’s fleet of Tikhvin-produced platforms will exceed 750 units.
The contract concerns platform cars of the model 13-6852-02, which was designed by the All-Union Research and Development Centre for Transportation Technology and is manufactured by TikhvinSpetsMash (both companies are part of UniWagon). The platform’s increased loading volume (122 m3) and increased carrying capacity (74 tons) enable transportation of up to 10 additional cargo cubes in each car. The car’s structure is designed to reduce unused cargo volume, prevent cargo residues from falling onto the track, ensure safety of the cargo and speed up the inspection procedure at customs control points. The platform’s bogie has an increased axle load of 25 tf, which provides for significant savings on servicing costs during the car’s entire service life (40 years). The overhaul period is 800,000 km or 8 years. The rolling stock will be delivered by the end of the third quarter of this year. The first batch of 30 timber platforms has already been shipped.
“The current market situation is characterized by a shortage of rolling stock for the transportation of timber cargo. This leads to uncontrolled growth of rates and a lack of confidence in the provision of cars. Timely delivery of timber is a critical factor for the holding’s business model. In this situation, the optimal solution for us was transition from using external service providers to having our own fleet. Thus, we can ensure uninterrupted supply of raw materials, and we also gain control over transportation costs. Tikhvin-produced platforms have already successfully proven themselves in the market. In addition, last year, we tested the economy of the car and the technology of logistics operations, and were satisfied with the results. We plan to gradually increase our fleet by acquiring new-generation railcars. The latest deal with UWC is a logical step in the implementation of our plans,” CEO of Kronospan in Russia, Ardasher Kurbansho, said.
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