GE Transportation and the Kryukov Railcar Building Works (Kremenchuk, Poltava region) have concluded an agreement on localization of production of 30 TE33A diesel locomotives in Ukraine, General Electric Transportation announced. The diesel locomotives will be delivered to the Ukrainian Railways public joint-stock company (Ukrzaliznytsia) under a contract signed earlier this year.

Before signing the agreement with the Kryukov Railcar Building Works, the American company organized a special conference in Odesa, where it gathered dozens of leading Ukrainian manufacturers of railway equipment and components to inform them about opportunities for cooperation and its requirements.

The manufacturers also learned about the opportunity to join GE Transportation's global supply chain after certification of their products.

The final phase of production of TE33A locomotives for Ukrzaliznytsia began last month at GE Transportation’s plant in plant in Erie (Pennsylvania, United States).

"We hope that the agreement will continue in 2019. We also hope that we will not limit ourselves to delivery of diesel locomotives and that we will continue our international cooperation on production of other products and other types of railway equipment," the Kryukov Railcar Building Works’ President Volodymyr Prikhodko said.

As reported earlier, Ukrzaliznytsia and GE Transportation signed a framework agreement on establishment of a 15-year partnership for upgrade and modernization of Ukrainian railway rolling stock on February 23. The framework agreement provides for supply of up to 225 General Electric locomotives of the Evolution Series by 2034 and long-term maintenance of the locomotives.

Under the first agreement, which is worth USD 140 million (including VAT), Ukrzaliznytsia will receive 30 locomotives by the end of the first quarter of 2019. The state-owned Ukreximbank provided funding.