Alstom

Image: KazElectroPrivod will supply 10,000 point machines over a period of ten years for Kazakhstan Railways. Photo: courtesy of Kabelleger.

KazElectroPrivod (KEP), a joint venture (JV) between Alstom and Kazakhstani partner Kamkor, has won a €90m contract from Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) to deliver 10,000 point machines over a period of ten years.

KEP will start delivery of the point machines, which allow trains to change tracks, later in 2013.

Alstom and KTZ subsidiary Kamkor, a manufacture of point machines, established the 50-50 JV in January 2013.

KEP is based at the Kamkor-owned Almaty Wagon Repair Plant, which provides railway maintenance services.

Alstom, which has a share of €65m in the contract, intends to manufacture components locally in order to geographically expand and meet the demands of its customers.

"Alstom and KTZ subsidiary Kamkor, a manufacture of point machines, established the 50-50 JV in January 2013."

The first point machines under the order will be imported from Alstom's Bologna plant in Italy, while the existing Almaty workshop is rebuilt to meet the needs of the new production.

Alstom has already delivered two P80 point machines for KZT; the units have been operating for two years at Astana railway station.

The company said its point machines are resistant to ice and snow, making them suitable for operation in severe weather conditions.

Alstom Transport's senior vice president in the CIS Bernard Gonnet said: "With this first signalling project for Alstom in Kazakhstan, we are gaining a foothold in the promising Kazakhstan signalling market, and to a larger extent, in the neighbouring markets as well."

The Kazakh railway network consists of 14,000km of track and is the world's third longest railway using the 1,520mm track gauge.