United Wagon Company supplies the Acron Group with 400 hopper cars for transporting mineral fertilizers

Leasing company RAIL1520 (managed by United Wagon Company) and rail operator Acron-Trans (Acron Group) have signed a contract for delivery of 400 hopper cars for transporting mineral fertilizers equipped with innovative Barber bogies. Operating lease fleet term is 3 years.

Under the contract Aсron-Trans will receive 400 hopper cars fitted with Barber bogies with axle load 23.5 tf produced by Tikhvin Freight Car Building Plant (also managed by United Wagon Company). RAIL1520 has already delivered the first batch of 90 hopper cars for mineral fertilizers in early October. Total amount of hopper cars will be supplied to Acron-Trans before January 2014.

Rolling stock will be used for transportation of mineral fertilizers, particularly, carbamide, apatite and potassium, on the routes of the main Group’s activities, including interstate communication.  
Alexander Lukyanenko, Deputy CEO for Strategic Sales and Supply at United Wagon Company, commented on the deal: “We offer to the market new generation hopper cars, produced by Tikhvin Freight Car Building Plant with advanced operating characteristics. Particularly, the mileage of these cars is up to 500,000 km before the first scheduled repair and its maintenance intervals are increased as well. We are very pleased that Acron Group has chosen us as a partner for company’s fleet renewal.”  

Victor Ivanov, CEO at Acron-Trans, added: “The Russian mineral fertilizers market is a prospective developing business. In 2013, the market situation is slightly worse than in 2012. However, the total mineral fertilizers output remains the same. It is very important for us to maintain a production plan and timely supply freights to the Acron Group’s factories and our customers, for this reason we decided to expand our fleet with new generation cars with advanced technical and economic parameters. Our business finds the opportunities cars provide extremely attractive, including decreased life cycle costs, increased car load capacity and reduced transportation expenses due to empty mileage discount of up to 7%, which was approved by the Federal Tariff Service’s Order.”