This week’s news from the global railway supply chain.
BvL Oberflächentechnik has supplied a Geyser fully automated, high-pressure water jet paint-stripping system to a German rolling stock maintenance provider which is using it to removed impact-protection coatings from axles. The process is non-abrasive and provides gentle surface processing. After stripping, all previously coated areas are returned to bright metal and provided with a temporary corrosion protection. The cycle time is less than 23 min per axle, and axles can be transferred directly to subsequent steps such as ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle inspection or new coating.
Commenting on the release of the Industrial Accelerator Act proposal by Stéphane Séjourné, European Commission Executive Vice-President for Prosperity & Industrial Strategy, UNIFE Director General Enno Wiebe said ‘despite our industry not being directly covered by the European Commission’s Made in Europe provisions announced today, we fully support the Commission’s acknowledgement of the need to consider EU origin for the building of rail rolling stock, as the transport sector is critical to the Union’s economic security. We need to be absolutely clear - if we are not defined as a strategic sector by European policymakers as part of the Public Procurement Directives reform later this year, we might face an existential threat. Despite positive market growth, considerable challenges from unfair trade practices from China and regulatory burdens inside of Europe threaten our ability to compete globally and in the Union. In today’s world, if you snooze, you lose.’
On March 2 Finland’s new rolling stock owning body Suomen Ostoliikennekalusto completed the acquisition of rolling stock used by national railway VR on passenger services operated under contract to the Ministry of Transport & Communications, comprising regional trains, DMUs and night train stock. New night train coaches and car-carrying vans are to be transferred later in 2026. The total purchase price will be approximately €250m, but VR will make a capital repayment to the state so that the arrangement is financially neutral for the operator.
Waynova Group has been established as a unified international market presence for Arcadea Group’s rail technology companies ZEDAS (logistics and asset management software, Germany), Railroad Software (compliance and yard management, USA), Raspberry Software (revenue protection software and back-office services, UK) and Automated Rail (automatic equipment identification Readers, tablets and hardware, USA). ‘Strong rail software is built on deep process understanding. But real progress happens when depth meets scale, speed and specialisation’, said Waynova Group CEO Jake Micsak on March 3. ‘By bringing our companies together, we create the foundation to evolve faster and support our customers even more effectively.’
On February 26 Progress Rail and Wabtec announced a settlement in Progress Rail v Wabtec ‘in which they agreed that this settlement is best for both companies, customers, and consumers, and the prospect of additional litigation is not in anyone’s interest. There is no admission of liability. The two companies acknowledge that they have been and remain suppliers of long-haul freight locomotives and cab components, including Tier IV long-haul locomotives, to Class I railroads and other customers.’
Denmark’s state-owned transport project promoter Sund & Bælt has cancelled the tenders for the Fehmarn Belt Tunnel Track & Catenary and road tolling facilities contracts. It said construction of the tunnel is currently delayed by around two years, and cancelling the tenders avoids financial risk that could arise due to the uncertainties in the schedule. The contracts are expected to be retendered at a later stage.