EVRAZ expands the capacity for the processing of railway wheels

EVRAZ NTMK completes preparations for launching the fifth railway wheel machining line. The line has already been assembled, four new automated machines have been installed at the wheel shop.

Currently the wheel-block robotic transport and handling equipment, chip breaker and disposal systems, a cutting-fluid management station are being mounted. Cable networks and fences that will ensure labor safety are installed. Earlier on, the old pipelines and cabling were removed and the existing machining line was relocated and repurposed for wheel center manufacturing to clean the area for the new line.

"Our priority is to meet the growing demand for wheels from Russian consumers," said Ilya Shirokobrod, EVRAZ Vice President, Sales and logistics. "The new line will be used to process premium products of the plant: S-wheels for Russian freight cars and for high-speed traffic. We will also be able to process export products here."

The project will enable the company to equalize the forging, machining and inspection capabilities, which will increase the wheel plant output. The launch of the fifth line will allow to create new workplaces.

The new line’s capacity is over 66 thousand railway wheels per year. The project has been implemented in collaboration with German company Niles-Simmons-Hegenscheneidt (NSH). The new line’s start-up is expected in Q3 2018.

EVRAZ investments total 800 mln roubles.