RZD, Evraz to look at cooperation in rail manufacturing
MOSCOW. Sept 16 (Interfax) - Russian Railways (RZD) and Russian steel group Evraz will identify projects for cooperation in the area of rail manufacturing under an agreement RZD and LLC EvrazHolding signed at the railway industry forum that was held in Scherbinka, outside Moscow last week, the Association of Railway Equipment Producers (OPZT) reported.
The agreement "establishes the conditions of mutual development through the production and delivery of steel products with higher performance characteristics," OPZT said.
This primarily refers to rails for high-speed railways, including those intended for trains travelling at speeds of 250 km to 450 km per hour; rails for use in cold climates (with high durability); mass rail series with throughput capacity of more than 1.5 billion tonnes; as well as durable wheels and tires.
The agreement sets out the principles for R&D cooperation on the development of such products. "The main principle of relations is [identifying] joint projects for specific needs and achieving specific performance indicators," OPZT said.
The companies have agreed on "parity distribution of the final economic benefits," including "for financing new" projects. "This is RZD's first such agreement with a specific manufacturer supplying such key types of products as rails, rolled steel for switch assemblies, railcar and locomotive wheels and elements of rail ties," OPZT said.
OPZT was formed as a non-commercial partnership in 2007 to coordinate the work of companies in the sector. The founders include RZD, Transmashholding (TMH) , Tractor Plants and the Russian Transport Engineering Corporation. The association now includes more than 100 Russian and foreign companies that produce about 90% of the railway products in the country. OPZT is chaired by RZD senior vice president Valentin Gapanovich.