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Hindalco, Italy’s Metra in tech partnership to build aluminium rail coaches
- Hindalco plans to build a greenfield plant with the largest extrusion press in the country to manufacture products for high-speed aluminium rail coaches
New Delhi: Hindalco Industries Limited on Tuesday said it has signed a technology partnership with Italy-based Metra SpA, to bring latest aluminium extrusion technology to India for building rail coaches.
The company will set up an extrusion press in the country as part of the ₹2,000 crore investment that Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of the company, had announced during the company’s 64th annual general meeting (AGM) last month.
“We are even more excited to partner Indian railways and the passenger coach manufacturing ecosystem for the ambitious high-speed Vande Bharat trains. An investment of ₹2,000 crore is planned for the project and technology tie-ups are in place to bring new extrusion and fabrication technologies to India," Birla had said in the AGM.
Hindalco plans to build a greenfield plant with the largest extrusion press in the country to manufacture products for high-speed aluminium rail coaches. This set-up will be part of the planned ₹2,000 crore investment. The plant will consist of over 20 meter long extrusions, will be used to make side panels, floor panels, etc, and will consist of welding and machining facilities, the company said. It is also in talks with several railway original equipment manufacturer (OEMs) to provide the extruded aluminium.
Metra SpA, the manufacturer of complex extruded aluminium profiles, will help enable production of large-size aluminium extrusion and fabrication technology for building high-speed aluminium rail coaches in India. Hindalco plans to combine Metra’s cutting-edge technology with its experience in aluminium manufacturing to drive the ambitious upgrading programme of Indian Railways which runs one of the world’s largest rail networks.
“This is in line with our capability building for aluminium in commercial vehicles, freight wagons, electric vehicles and passenger train applications. Our combined expertise will undoubtedly enhance the efficiency, durability and sustainable performance of these trains and set new benchmarks for the Indian rail industry,” said Satish Pai, managing director of Hindalco Industries.
With Metra’s technology and capabilities to design and supply high-end sub-assemblies for the railways, Hindalco believes it can play a leading role in helping provide lightweight aluminium trains improving speed and also reduce carbon emissions. The use of aluminium significantly enhances energy efficiency due to reduced aerodynamic resistance, transmission loss and causes lower wear and tear to the rolling stock.
Hindalco is going all-out to support the railway's goal of becoming net zero, while doubling freight capacity. “We plan to introduce three more designs of freight wagons in the coming months targeting specific end-use applications including bagged cement, and foodgrains," Birla had said.
This comes at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the G20 summit in the country, announced a multinational rail and ports deal linking the Middle East and South Asia, the India-Middle East- Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
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First Published:12 Sep 2023, 02:11 PM IST
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