Russia: This was told to journalists by Alexander Dubrovkin, CEO of PC Transport Systems (PC TS).
“As of today, we have a production plan for 2024 and signed contracts for 202 tram cars, Lvyonok, Bogatyr, and Vityaz. We estimate our production capacity at 220 cars per year, so there is a capacity reserve [for future orders] of only 18 cars”, Interfax quoted him as saying. More than half of the company’s orders are for single-car trams. Under existing contracts, PC TS trams are awaited in St. Petersburg, Saratov, Ulan-Ude, Tula and Novotroitsk.
According to the head of the company, they produced 154 trams in 2023, which is 17 trams less than planned at the end of November. But even with the drop, the 2023 output is higher than that of 2020–2022, and last year was a record.
According to Dubrovkin, in 2024 PC TS plans to triple its investment in the modernisation of production facilities compared to last year. This RUB 600 mln ($6.6 mln) will allow the Tver plant to be equipped not only with additional paint booths, but also with machinery for the production of components and units as part of efforts to achieve self-sufficiency. The plant also produces bogies.
In January, another Russian company, the Ust-Katav Car-building Plant, announced plans to increase production to 148 trams in 2024. At the same time, it continues to sign new contracts for deliveries this year. In February, for example, the plant accepted an order to deliver ten trams to Khabarovsk. To cope with growing demand, the plant is working to expand its production capacity to 220 trams a year.
