Cooperation of OAO RZD and Manufacturers: Problems and Progress

28.09.2007 (17:18)

The interviews which were held in the frameworks of “Open conversation” studio at the international salon of rolling stock and rail technologies EXPO 1520 covered all aspects of mutual relations of OAO RZD and manufacturers of machine-building production.

About tender.

According to the director of the machine-tool plant TBS Alexander Barkan, manufacturers are disgruntled by the current system of orders and deliveries. Tender is held during half a year and then winner of competition tries to have time to execute an order. “The tender should be held in advance. If you want to receive production in 2008 you should hold competition in 2007”, A.Barkan says. Alexander Chirkin, the Chief of Department of Sales Development of the company “TatProf” shares this opinion. He noted that in OAO RZD has not clean system of purchases today and the price becomes a self-sufficing factor for tenders. “It is the ineffective method, it is necessary to change it”, the expert considers. According to him, now manufacturers pay attention to questions of decrease of the production cost price. For example, this direction is priority in the “TatProf” development program till 2010. “We know all shortcomings of the current tender method, but they didn’t concern us”, the General Director of the company “Sinara – Transport Machines”, Evgeny Kopein said.

The Chief of Marketing Department of Wagon Building of Uralvagonzavod Mihail Boyko noted that the growth of the prices for production caused by its constant perfection that is why this situation is absolutely normal. “Yes, people ask us about growth of prices. However for last two years we changed many accessories - bearings, knots etc, therefore our production rose in price”, M.Boyko explained.

New Technologies

There are positive changes in the orders system, E.Kopein considers: OAO RZD turns to the international practice when the customer doesn’t say: I need hundred locomotives, he gives concrete parameters and the requirements specification. “It is very productive, positive and perspective method. The developer gets guarantees. The demonstrative example is our first contract with the Russian railways on 25 two-section locomotives delivery which was signed this summer”, E.Kopein noted, having explained that the developer should understand that research and development work should be detailed and fundamental. He should know what kind of accessories is necessary. And all these questions can be solved by means of the accurate technical policy of the enterprise-customer.

There is another example: now “Sinara - Transport cars” and Transmashholding develop the machine with asynchronous type of a drive for OAO RZD.

According to Managing Director of Transolutions company Marcus Montenecourt, the company will present new model of freight wagon bogie constructed on the basis of the technologies which are used on USA railways. Axle loading of this bogie is 25-27 tons.
Answering on question about features of work in Russia, M.Montenecourt noted, that there is the conservatism. For example, a chief engineer of some enterprise having got used to some equipment, does not want to use another one.

Reorganization or Demolition - that is a question!

According to A.Barkan, OAO RZD does not pay attention to support and development of machine-tool construction and instrument making. Meanwhile this question was repeatedly discussed at sessions of the RF Government. In 2006 share of OAO RZD in total amount of orders carried out by TatProf OAO RZD amounted 30%. Customers of factory are railways of Belarus and Kazakhstan, and many railways – subsidiaries of OAO RZD. 200 thousand mounted wheels are exploited by October railway daily. Special car wheel lathes work to provide planned repair of mounted wheels. However deterioration of this equipment is a big problem. There are car wheel lathes of new generation, but their installation in existing depots is impossible without reorganization of depot’s structure, A.Barkan complains. As a result there is a problem. It is necessary to re-equip points of maintenance service of locomotives with the new metal-cutting machine tools for processing of wheel pairs profiles of locomotives. The machine tools offered by western manufacturers are very expensive - to $1 million. And this is the problem.

The Chinese wagon is not for Russia

The big interest of participants of interview-studio was caused by a theme of the Chinese wagon. The First Deputy Chief of Department of a Wagon Economy of OAO RZD Sergey Kaletin noted, that today there is no lack of rolling stock: 45 thousand wagons are produced in Russia annually, demand makes 47 thousand units. As to foreign manufacturers it is absolutely unimportant who will be supplier of the wagons - China, India, Pakistan etc - all is defined by price – quality ratio." There are no obstacles for foreign manufacturers now: you should offer qualitative production, undergo certification and we will buy your production», S.Kaletin said, addressing to representatives of the Chinese delegation. Speaking about Chinese transport machine building, M.Bojko admitted that he doesn’t know all features of the Chinese wagons, but he think that they can compete with Russian production. “We remember that the Chinese machine building has the Soviet roots then after all it was accepted to exchange the design documentation. It allows to assume that their production is qualitative and competitive”. At the same time the representative of Uralvagonzavod optimistically noted that the Russian machine-building progresses and it is not afraid of a competition.

by Ivan Sergeev
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