Vossloh opens new railway components factory in Bendigo

German rail technology group Vossloh has opened a new manufacturing plant in Bendigo, Victoria.

The plant will manufacture up to 200 railway turnout components a year, including switches and rail fasteners.

It will also feature a solar power system, providing an output of around 228 kilowatts. Vossloh added that this new plant features modern machinery and relies on energy efficient technologies.

“With this plant, we are setting a global benchmark for precision, automation and sustainability in switch production,” Vossloh COO Jan Furnivall said.

Vossloh said it is involved in all of Australia’s major rail projects, including the Inland Rail Project which aims to connect Melbourne and Brisbane via a 1600-kilometre-long freight line.

“For our Australian customers, we are expanding and optimizing our range of products and services, including the possible production of high-speed switches for a future high-speed line between Brisbane and Melbourne,” Furnivall said.

In additional to switches, Vossloh stated it is also the Australian market leader in making concrete sleepers for railroad tracks.