The decision was announced on 1 July. The letter of intent was signed by PKP Cargo and Greenbrier Europe Wagony Świdnica, owned by Greenbrier, one of the major global rolling stock manufacturers. As part of the aforesaid project, Greenbrier will provide the necessary documents, technologies, quality control standards as well as production line equipment. PKP Cargotabor, a PKP Cargo Group company, will be responsible, among other things, for ensuring qualified production and administration employees in addition to workshop equipment. The cost incurred by PKP Cargo to launch the production line in Szczecin will reach almost PLN 11.5 million.

 

We make every effort to secure cooperation of the best partners with a view to developing the business and competence of PKP Cargo. Greenbrier is a major U.S. rolling stock manufacturer listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Together, we will create a state-of-the-art freight car production plant in Szczecin, which is a Polish city of particular importance to PKP Cargo. Worth more than PLN 10 million, the investment will involve production of thousands of train cars in the upcoming years and, in the longer term, the number of such cars may even increase, which will require hiring additional staff from Szczecin and the neighboring areas, says Adam Purwin, Chairman of the Management Board of PKP Cargo.

 

According to viability studies conducted by PKP Cargo, this solution is most advantageous from the economic perspective. Not only will it enable reduction of new rolling stock acquisition costs incurred by PKP Cargo as compared to purchases of ready-made cars from third-party manufacturers but also ensure an optimum use of the company’s resources managed by PKP Cargotabor, Rolling Stock Repair Facility in Szczecin, to include appropriate facilities and technical resources. The first car will be manufactured as early as this year.

 

PKP Cargo owns more than 61,500 freight cars, the major part of which are more than 25 years old. In the next ten years, PKP Cargo will replace its rolling stock with state-of-the-art cars, announced Wojciech Derda, Member of the Management Board of PKP Cargo, COO.

 

PKP Cargo is the largest rail freight carrier in Poland, whose market share exceeds 47% in terms of weight and 57% in terms of transport services (2014). In addition to rail transport of goods, the PKP Cargo Group offers forwarding as well as terminal and siding operation services.

 

The Rolling Stock Repair Facility located at Gdańska street is one of fifteen branches of PKP Cargotabor. It carries out periodic inspections of cars and engines in addition to day-to-day repairs. At present, it employs ca. 160 people.

 

AK