The Czech-based Witkowitz concern, which specializes in manufacture of mechanical engineering equipment, plans to invest over EUR 50 million in establishment of new production facilities at the Dnipro-based Pivdennyi machine-building plant (Pivdenmash). The main goal of the investment is development of new projects for overhaul of railway diesel engines and production of hydrogen engines.
Pivdenmash announced this in a statement, the CFTS portal reports.
Production launch is tentatively planned for the end of 2020. Three separate production zones will be created by that time: a workshop for repairing wheelsets with an investment of EUR 10 million, a workshop for repairing wagons with an investment of EUR 2 million, and a workshop for repairing locomotives with an investment of up to EUR 10 million. In addition, creation of a trading platform for the Witkowitz concern’s authorized dealer is planned.
The project provides for long-term cooperation, which will result in the creation of authorized service centers for locomotives and diesel engines, as well as a center for overhaul of wagons and wheelsets. Further plans include a plant for production of equipment for production of hydrogen and a center for refurbishment of locomotives.
According to Pivdenmash’s General Director Serhii Voit, cooperation with the Witkowitz concern is expected to be the next step towards finding new opportunities to utilize Pivdenmash’s production capacity, expanding the geography of its production cooperation, and gaining access to new markets.
"Cooperation with Witkowitz is another international project for Pivdenmash that will help create the necessary workload for the enterprise and facilitate utilization of its production potential," said Vladimir Usov, the head of the State Space Agency.
According to him, Witkowitz is one of the most powerful mechanical engineering equipment manufacturers in Central Europe.
As the CFTS portal reported earlier, Pivdenmash could receive an order for production of 5,000 electric buses. The relevant agreement provides for signing of contracts worth UAH 23 billion until 2023.
