The Switcher fleet is growing

Kolejowe Zakłady Nawierzchniowe “Bieżanów” will expand the options for transporting railway turnouts in blocks. In May this year, three more Switcher wagons were commissioned, and the next three will be built in the coming months.

As a result, in 2018, the fleet of KZN “Bieżanów” consisting of these special purpose wagons will amount to at least 10 wagons. This includes 2 Switcher+ wagons equipped additionally with hydraulic cranes, enabling the unloading of turnout sections transported both on these wagons as well as on wagons with long platforms without cranes. “Thanks to such a sophisticated fleet, we will be able to create a train that can transport three railway turnouts with a radius of r=1200, factory pre-assembled in sections. This is the project we have planned for August as part of the Włoszczowa Północ project.” says Magdalena Kamińska, Technical and Quality Director, in charge of the Switcher project in KZN.

Significant investments in the specialist Switcher system are an expression of the trust of KZN “Bieżanów” in the declaration of the railway network manager, the host of the investment process as part of the National Railway Program. “Bearing in mind the initial quality of turnout structures and their lifespan, we want to believe the PKP PLK management board’s declaration that in 2018 there will be about 20 percent, and in the next year 30 percent of railway turnouts transported in this way as part of the railway network modernization works.” adds Magdalena Kamińska.

The Switcher wagons themselves form only part of a multi-million investment program implemented by KZN “Bieżanów”. To satisfy the growing demand, the Kraków-based company is investing in new machines that have appeared and will appear in the near future in manufacturing halls, on sidings and storage yards; as well as in the facilities, halls and transport infrastructure of the plant. At the same time, KZN is significantly increasing employment. The basis of such policy is the very good financial condition of the company. “Our results clearly demonstrate that the second quarter of the previous year was an important milestone for the industry. Since then, trends in the company’s financial flows have been changing.” says Barbara Król, Member of the Board, Financial Director of KZN “Bieżanów”. “This translated into the annual result for 2017, in which we recorded over PLN 102 million in sales revenues, which is an increase of nearly 20 percent compared to 2016. Net profit in 2017 was close to PLN 6 million, while in the previous period it amounted to no more than PLN 3.5 million.” adds Król.

The good shape of the company is also being confirmed in 2018 – in only the first four months, i.e. from January to April this year, KZN “Bieżanów” generated sales revenues and profits in the amount close to half of those achieved in the previous year. “Thanks to the company’s sound balance sheet, we are implementing an investment program that aims to flexibly meet domestic and foreign needs, including the key German market for us, in the next 5-10 years.” says Director Król. “We don’t consume profits, we invest them. We react to the changing economic situation well in advance with actions enhancing our capabilities.” adds the Financial Director of KZN Bieżanów.

In relation to expanding the company’s production potential, the fact that the market creators – the Ministry of Infrastructure and the national railway network manager – are trying to avoid the errors of the past and plan investments for the period after 2023 is encouraging. “If it is possible to prepare investment projects and finance them, then there will be a chance to extend the policy stimulating the development of rail transport in the country by 5-7 years. This in turn creates a real prospect for significant expansion of the potential of the rail infrastructure industry.” says the main financier of KZN. “For an entity that allocates more than half of its profits toward R&D and investments, such sector stabilization means faster implementation and commercialization of technological innovations such as the Switcher and increased competitiveness on an international scale as well.” adds Barbara Król.

The stabilization of the investment and maintenance market also gives long-term perspectives for the efficient use of wagons for the transport of railway turnouts in sections and the permanent popularisation of such technology for the installation of these structures. “We hope that together with projects already contracted or under advanced negotiations for implementation in 2018, using the Switcher fleet in locations such as Włoszczowa Północ, Czarnca, Krzeszowice, Nowa Sarzyna, Szczecin Gumieńce or Kozioł junction, more projects planned for this year and the years to come will be added.” says Magdalena Kamińska.