Manufacturing firm SKF has signed a long-term contract with Swiss rail vehicle manufacturer Stadler Rail to equip and service rolling stock for the Berlin underground (U-Bahn) trains in Germany.
Although the exact value has not been revealed, the contract is said to be worth several million Euros.
The contract will continue for over 32 years and includes several SKF solutions such as wheel set bearings, axle boxes, and lubrication systems.
Under the scope of the contract, SKF will deliver spare components for the carriages.
SKF stated that the contract is covered by a performance agreement, which is measured against a set of KPIs for guaranteeing high client confidence.
As agreed, SKF will service over 606 rail carriages, with the potential extension to a total of 1,500 carriages.
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By GlobalDataThese carriages will be built between 2022 and 2026.
According to Berlin U-bahn operator Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG), this is its “largest vehicle purchasing programme”, with a budget of approximately $3.53bn (€3bn) involving 1,500 carriages.
Apart from other services, the contract will cover the delivery and servicing of over 12,000 wheelset bearings.
These bearings are insocoated with a plasma coating that holds back electrical damage.
SKF said in a statement: “SKF’s long-standing relationship with Stadler, its ability to offer a broad service package and its technical expertise were key factors behind winning the contract.”
Furthermore, the company was working on the initial development stage for creating product solutions in line with the client’s requirements.
This service contract aims to enhance the reliability as well as uptime of trains on the U-Bahn.
SKF Railways key account manager Thomas White said: “This contract will provide reliability and safety of spare parts over the entire period. This aims to reduce logistics efforts and raise reliability for both the train operator and Stadler Rail.”
