UK: The Lucchini Unipart Rail joint venture has expanded its British footprint with official opening of a wheelset repair facility at Trafford Park in Manchester and a bogie service facility at Warmsworth near Doncaster.
The group said this forms part of a £7·5m investment programme to expand capacity, modernise operations and strengthen its role in the UK rail supply chain.
The refurbished facility at Trafford Park brings light wheelset overhaul, component overhaul and warehousing activities closer to the existing machining plant and headquarters, increasing total capacity to up to 800 wheelsets per month.
The Doncaster relocation doubles the size of LUR’s bogie facility, supporting the overhaul and refurbishment of up to 80 passenger, freight and light rail bogies per month.
‘These two new facilities represent a bold step forward for LUR’, said Managing Director Phil Chilton on October 24. ‘We are investing not just in buildings and equipment, but in the future capability of the UK rail industry. As we mark 10 years of our joint venture, we’re focused on supporting our customers with greater capacity, faster turnaround times, and best-in-class quality from our sites in Manchester and Doncaster.’
