Wabtec Corporation (NYSE: WAB) celebrated the delivery of the 500th Evolution Series Locomotive to Indian Railways. The celebration at Wabtec's plant in Marhowra, Bihar marked another milestone in the 2015 USD 2.5 billion agreement as part of the Government of India's Public Private Partnership 'Make in India' program to develop and supply 1,000 fuel-efficient, emission-compliant diesel-electric Evolution Series locomotives.
"This achievement is a major step in Wabtec's growth as the leading rail industry supplier in this country and demonstrates the commitment to the 'Make in India' initiative," said Dr Sujatha Narayan, Senior Vice President and India Region Leader. "It also is a tribute to the dedication of our team in India, as well as the support from the community, government, suppliers, and other Wabtec sites around the world. Their efforts are positioning the company and our customers for success in the region for years to come."
The 500th locomotive is a 4500-horsepower, dual-cab locomotive. To date, Wabtec has delivered 438 of those models and 62 of the 6000-horsepower, single-cab locomotives to Indian Railways. These locomotives are digitally enabled and use cutting-edge technology to deliver fuel efficiency and ensure compliance with international emission standard UIC1. The locomotives' cabs feature ergonomic comforts for pilots in terms of air conditioning, seats, noise reduction, heated windscreens, urinals, and digital displays.
Indian Railways is using the locomotives extensively for heavy-haul and container operations across the country. The fleet is demonstrating high levels of availability and reliability, which is enabling significant growth in freight revenue.
"The successful and timely execution of the Marhowra project is a major milestone in the success of the public-private partnership," said Sandeep Selot, Managing Director of Wabtec Locomotives Private Limited. "This partnership also helped to operationalize modern service sheds in Roza and Gandhidham. It also has been instrumental in creating jobs and establishing a local supplier footprint, as well as establishing a community outreach program."
The state-of-art manufacturing plant in Marhowra started operations in 2018. It leverages global lean manufacturing processes and has the capacity to deliver 120 locomotives per year. The plant also set a new benchmark in having a diverse and talented workforce from Bihar and Jharkhand.
Additionally, Wabtec's outreach programs in and around the Marhowra factory have fueled vocational training and educational equity enabling community development in the region. The programs have prepared and supported over 600 female entrepreneurs. It also trained engineers from the local polytechnic with smart welding skills needed to secure employment.
Wabtec Corporation (NYSE: WAB) is focused on creating transportation solutions that move and improve the world. The company is a leading global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions and value-added services for the freight and transit rail industries, as well as the mining, marine and industrial markets. Wabtec has been a leader in the rail industry for over 150 years and has the vision to achieve a zero-emission rail system in the U.S. and worldwide. Visit Wabtec's website at www.wabteccorp.com
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( With inputs from ANI )
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