ARGENTINA’s minister of transport, Mr Alexis Guerrera, has announced Transmashholding (TMH) as the winner of a $US 864m contract to supply 70 eight-car EMUs for the 25kV ac Buenos Aires suburban network, along with related maintenance activities.
The announcement was published in the official government bulletin on December 31 2021. The 1676mm-gauge fleet is being financed by Russia, and the trains will be used on the Roca, Sarmiento and San Martin lines, some of the busiest in the country. The EMUs will be delivered over a four-year period starting 27 months after the contract comes into force.
The train will be based on TMH’s Ivolga 1520mm-gauge EMU platform developed and manufactured in Tver, Russia. The EMU for Argentina is a 25kV ac stainless steel train with a maximum speed of 120km/h, with capacity for up to 2000 passengers.
TMH plans to localise 25% of the project, including the production of components, final assembly, testing and commissioning of the trains in Argentina. To do this, the company will invest in an industrial facility and create up to 1500 new direct and indirect jobs.
“Argentina is a country of great opportunities and has an ambitious plan to modernise its railway system,” says TMH International president, Mr Hans Schabert. “TMH is willing to keep contributing to this process. We have a long-term commitment to the country and its people. With this EMU project, we’ll reinforce our local footprint, continue to transfer knowledge and technology, and further involve the Argentinean rail supply chain through strong alliances with local actors.”
TMH has been present in Argentina since 2018, both as a private industrial investor and technology partner for freight and passenger operators. The company employs 250 people across the country in maintaining, repairing, and modernising rolling stock, but also in offering spare parts and supply chain management services to customers. The company is localising components in Argentina by developing local suppliers and encouraging international suppliers to start business in the country.
“It is a great honour for TMH to be selected by Argentina’s transport authorities for this strategic national project,” says TMH CEO, Mr Kirill Lipa. “We strongly believe that rail is a key driver for economic growth and TMH has played an active part in this process in Russia. By connecting people and goods quicker, smoother, safer, TMH will contribute to shaping a sustainable future for Argentina. We have the right competences to make this happen.”
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