Lucchini and Unipart launch 'new force'

摘要

Lucchini Unipart Rail intends to become 'a new force in traction systems', Managing Director Chris Fawdry has told RBI. The joint venture between Lucchini RS of Italy and Unipart Rail (RB1476 p2) brings together the entire Lucchini UK wheelset manufacturing and maintenance business at Trafford Park with Unipart's bogie overhaul and wheelset supply activities in Doncaster, with 330 employees and a combined turnover of £60m a year. Fawdry believes 'the fit is really perfect' between the two businesses, with little overlap in their activities. However, he is already seeing benefits from Unipart Rail's expertise in logistics and supply chain management. 'Unipart Rail was one of the top three customers for Lucchini UK, with a £5-5m annual turnover, so we can strip out the transactional friction. And that is just one of the synergies we have identified', he said. Whereas Lucchini UK's main customers were rolling stock manufacturers and London Underground, Unipart Rail's bogie activities were more focused towards train operators on the national network and ROSCOs, he explains. This includes wagon wheelsets, which had not previously been a significant market for Lucchini UK. However, much of the freight work is still outsourced, as the joint venture does not have enough capacity to undertake it all in-house.