Only several years were required for United Wagon Company to become one of the leading global manufacturers of railway freight cars and secure its place among the TOP-3 companies in the terms of production level. High technologies, best practices and modern production facilities allow UWC to produce a wide variety of high-quality car products demanded all over the world.
The manufacturing centre of UWC is Tikhvin industrial site (200 km away from St. Petersburg, Russia). The aggregate production capacity of the Company’s freight car manufacturing facilities is up to 22,000 cars and 30,000 casting sets per year. The manufacturing unit of UWC also includes NPC Springs (Izhevsk, Russia) with an annual production capacity of up to 30,000 car sets of railway springs. Over 55 models and modifications of different freight car types are produced by UWC, including gondola cars, tank cars, flat cars, hopper cars, box cars, etc.
The integration of car assembly lines and casting lines into a single technological complex provides high production capacity and flexibility. The majority of freight car components are produced at the industrial site, which together with an extensive use of automated lines and robots, as well as optimised plant logistics ensures a high and stable product quality level
Over 100 industrial robots and 20 automated lines are engaged in the manufacturing processes. The Company’s quality management system complies with the international standard for the railway industry ISO/ TS 22163:2017. The industrial site and products of Tikhvin Freight Car Building Plant are certified in accordance with the requirements of the AAR (Association of American Railroads) and Deutsche Bahn with a Q2 status awarded to the Company
Manufacture of moulds for subsequent casting of components on Heinrich Wagner Sinto automatic V-process molding line
Drawing of rods (essential mould elements) from the assembly rig for installation in the mould
Manipulator by Clansman Dynamics removes the remains of sand and rods from the castings
Series production of components made of isothermally ductile iron provides a freight car mileage of 1 million km before scheduled repair
Treatment and assembly of a wheel pair on Danobat automated line
Wabtec inspectors noting the high quality of castings manufactured by Tikhvin Freight Car Building Plant
KUKA line for automatic sidewall welding in the area for assembly and welding of gondola bodies
Robotic bending module cell
Freight car sidewall assembly area
Gondola cars assembly line
Hopper cars assembly line
Installation of a molten sulfur tank on a hydraulic test bench
Automated tank welding line
Accelerated stamping of a tank bottom
Welding in the manipulator (turning mechanism for heavy and large components) of a box car sidewall
Timber flat cars assembly line
Over 11,000 highly skilled employees work at UWC. Continuous professional training is provided on the basis of both the Company’s internal resources and external educational organisations