MALAWI bus manufacturer PEW handed over its first locally-built maintenance gang trolley in July to the local rail operator Central East African Railways, which was awarded a 20-year franchise to run the Malawi network last summer. Owned by Kamwayi Corp, PEW mainly builds minibuses for countries in southern Africa, but it is facing heavy competition in this market.
The firm has been given a US$460000 loan from the World Bank to fund its entry into the rail market, and has set up its rail trolley production line under a franchise agreement with Wickham Rail Cars, which has plants in Arizona, USA, and Worcestershire, Britain. Following the CEAR contract, PEW Chairman Austin Chilembwe hopes to supply railways in Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe in the future.
