Russia: The operator and car builder has signed an investment agreement for RUB 4.9 bln ($55.2 mln) with the Leningrad region at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
The agreement will see Novotrans’ subsidiary, Baltiysky Car-repair Plant, establish production of grain hoppers and gondola cars. By 2030, the production facilities will enable the construction of 4,000 freight cars annually, in addition to the output of Russia’s largest Tikhvin Freight Car Building Plant, a subsidiary of the United Wagon Company, also located in the Leningrad region.
The Baltiysky Car-repair Plant, inaugurated in 2023, is strategically located near one of Russia’s largest ports, Ust-Luga. The plant is designed to maintain 30,000 freight cars and 36,000 wheelsets annually when operating at full capacity.
Novotrans is developing a production facility in the Russian city of Biysk, where it released prototypes of the 12-6774 gondola car with unloading hatches and initiated certification tests in December last year. Novotrans has identified the new production facility as a high priority, as it will enable the company to compensate for the retirement of its cars. As stated on the company website, the Novotrans fleet currently comprises more than 25,000 freight cars, as stated on the company website.
