Kazakhstan: The founder and Chairman of the Board of the Kazakhstan railway holding had a deep conversation with Ruslan Shayekin, a businessman and video blogger. Sergey Pavlinger has revealed information about the development of the company’s rolling stock assets, social policy within the holding, his own professional career and more. ROLLINGSTOCK is sharing part of the interview about the company’s making progress in the railway industry.
Initially, Railways Systems KZ was established to manufacture rail track components (such as turnouts and others). In 2012, the cluster’s growth began with the launch of a project for rail wheel production. The main facilities are in Ekibastuz, where the Prommashkomplekt wheel manufacturing facility is located, as well as facilities for wheelset assembly, production of axles, tyres, wheel hubs, turnouts, rail fastenings, sleepers and switch sleepers, and other components. There, an electric steel plant with a basic annual capacity of 1 mln tonnes of steel is currently being constructed. In Petropavlovsk, the holding is also developing its car-building plant ZIKSTO (under the new name RWS Wagon).
Prommashkomplekt’s wheel production in Ekibastuz. Source: RWS
Officially, Railways Systems KZ has a reported annual output of 3,000 freight cars, 300 passenger coaches, 300,000 all-rolled wheels, and 20,000 wheelsets. The holding employs 4,300 people and has a turnover of KZT 600 bln (USD 1.1 bln).
Development of wagon manufacturing facilities in Petropavlovsk: “One and a half years ago we took a resolute decision to demolish the old constructions. Then we have built a completely new facility, equipped with the latest technologies. … We are going to scale up production, striving for a full localisation. Our goal is to make a wholly sovereign Kazakh product”.
Passenger coach production by Railways Systems KZ in Petropavlovsk. Source: 24kz
Passenger rolling stock: “We have mastered construction of passenger coaches, and now we are implementing a large project on passenger transportation in Kazakhstan. Next year, we plan to launch the first train with first-class coaches connecting Pavlodar and Astana. For our country, this will be the first-of-a-kind experience. … Further, we are going to allocate 36,000 m2 for the construction of new facilities to produce passenger rolling stock. Plus, freight rolling stock”. Currently, a new freight wagon building workshop of 12,000 m2 is also under construction in Petrpavlovsk.
About the rolling stock production by Railways Systems KZ. Source: RWS
Export and deliveries for global players: “Deutsche Bahn has accredited our company as its official supplier. … We are also selling our products on the American and on the Indian markets. In particular, we have signed an agreement with Wabtec and will manufacture wheels for its locomotives, which are produced here (at the LKZ plant in Kazakhstan – Ed.)”.
