CZ LOKO has announced the completion of its new state-of-the-art wheelset production and repair facility. With an investment of almost CZK 100 million, the state-of-the-art facility is set to revolutionize operations, improve efficiency and enhance service quality. Located in Česká Třebová, the new facility will enable the company to streamline its processes and potentially double its production capacity to 80 wheelsets per month. Approximately 60 percent of the output will be used for CZ LOKO's own locomotive production, while the remaining capacity will be available for external orders.
“We needed to innovate the long-time bottleneck in the Česká Třebová plant to move it technically and technologically into the third millennium. The priority was, therefore, to automate the operation as much as possible in order to substantially improve the quality, efficiency and logistics of the entire operation,” said Jaroslav Plhák, Chief Operating Officer of CZ LOKO.
This latest investment project is the last major initiative in CZ LOKO's medium-term plan adopted in 2017. The plan included the construction of a new locomotive assembly hall and testing facility in Jihlava, which will further enhance the company's capabilities. Additionally, the Česká Třebová facility now features a modern workshop for the production and testing of bogies, an engine plant, and a shop for mainframe modernization.
The new wheelset workshop was developed by converting a former hall originally used for repairing ČKD engines. Construction began in November 2021, and after months of meticulous testing and fine-tuning, the facility is now fully operational. The advanced manufacturing and repair capabilities will allow CZ LOKO to meet the increasing demands of the railway industry and maintain its commitment to excellence.
“In the production and repair of wheelsets, we now also rank among the most modern European plants. However, if we want to remain number one in our segment in Europe, where we have made inroads thanks to our hard work in recent years, we must continue to invest in improving our products and working environment,” added Jaroslav Plhák.
