OREANDA-NEWS. On 24 April 2008 was announced, that Interpipe NTRP has gained certification to supply finished machined railway wheels to the national railway operators of the Czech Republic and Hungary. The certification underlines that Interpipe’s finished machined railway wheels meet the requirements of the national railway operators and gives Interpipe the opportunity to supply railway wheels directly to end users in the Czech Republic and Hungary.

Michael Is’kov, Director of Sales for Railway Wheels said: “The Central and Eastern European market is very attractive for suppliers of railway wheels. This is because the lion's share of rolling and freight stock, used by the national railway operators of Western and Eastern Europe, is manufactured in these countries. In the past, we have had great experience of partnership with Czech and Hungarian rail operators, but via dealers. Currently, we are in negotiations with Czech and Hungarian railways on direct supplies and forming a stock of orders.”

In 2007, Interpipe’s exports to Western and Eastern Europe constituted 37% of the total number of railway wheels exported.

Key consumers of Interpipe’s railway wheels products on European markets are the national railway operators of Germany (Deutsche Bahn), Austria (OBB), Switzerland (SBB), Poland (PKP), Bulgaria (BDZ), major leasing companies GATX (Austria), AAE (Switzerland) and leading wagon builders of the region.