Kardemir Started Investment for Railway Wheel Factory

Kardemir, the only rail manufacturer in Turkey, has also started to invest in the production of Locomotive and Wagon Wheels. The Railway Wheel Factory will have a production capacity of 200 thousand units/year and will produce freight and passenger wagon wheels and locomotive wheels. Kardemir General Manager Fadıl Demirel says “We want to make Karabükü a production center for railway materials”.

TCDD's plans for rail transport and the liberalization of railways and the introduction of private sector by rail transport will show that the importance of railway transportation will increase. In parallel with the increase in railway transportation, the locomotives, wagons and other railway transportation vehicle parks of both TCDD and private sector will increase significantly.

Karabük Iron and Steel Works (Kardemir), a leading role in Turkey's industrialization drive. Since its foundation, Kardemir has played an important role in the realization of many heavy industrial facilities in our country, which has been the driving force of the concept of bir National Industry “. The company, which accelerated its investments for this purpose, has renewed its production technologies while increasing its capacity and product diversity with new investments. the most important ingredients of railways rail infrastructure is still the only manufacturer Kardemir between Turkey and countries in the region have started to invest to manufacture locomotives and rolling wheels. Kardemir General Manager Fadıl Demirel said that they aim to turn Karabük into a production center of railway materials.

The company attracts attention with its investments in rail systems in recent years. 450 mill / year capacity Rail and Profile Rolling Mill was commissioned in 2007. Plant, Republic of Turkey State Railways (TCDD), while meeting all the needs of the rail, a partner institution of our country in Çankırı Switch Factory location is the only manufacturer of railway points. A current development is the signature for the Railway Casting Plant. Railway Wheel Factory, which is an important part of the strategy of producing high value added products, will have a production capacity of 200 thousand / year and will produce locomotive wheels with cargo and passenger car wheels. The capacity increase efforts in Kardemir continue in parallel with these investments; production capacity of liquid crude iron to 3 million tons, liquid steel production capacity is also expected to reach 3,4 million tons.
Kardemir is in a great change taşıyan What are the factors that carry the company to this point?

In today's business world, the way to stand out and to achieve success is, above all, the success of achieving success, being able to keep up with changes and to have a dynamic structure. Companies that are able to keep up with the changes in their environment and are focused on achieving a dynamic and visionary vision stand out.

The most important factor in our company's current position is that it has an experienced and professional management structure. Our company has been able to reach 1939 million tons / year of liquid steel production from 2010 until 1, where 2 started its production with a determined management approach that determines its targets and strategies, can analyze the domestic and foreign markets well and direct human resources to a common goal. year has reached production level. In the next few years, 3,4 million tons / year liquid steel production level will be reached with the new investments planned and commissioned.

Could you tell us briefly about Kardemir's investments in the region and the country's economy that gave a great impetus?

Our company has adopted the vision of “producing at least 3 million tons of steel with global competitive power by producing products that are not produced in Turkey”. Our company, which takes firm steps towards achieving this goal, continues its investment activities intensively. In this context, the new Sinter Factory and Blast Furnace No. 2011 were put into operation in the first half of 1, the new Lime Factory in 2012, and the New Continuous Casting Facility at the beginning of 2013. In addition, the 50 MW New Power Plant and the new coke plant with 70 furnaces were completed and started production last month. On the other hand, works are continuing rapidly on the projects of increasing the production capacity of the steel mill, investments in the new blast furnace and new Rod (Thick Round) and Coil Rolling Mill, and the establishment of a rail hardening facility in the Rail Profile Rolling Mill. With the specified investment projects, the targeted capacities will be achieved.

The new Rod and Coil Rolling Mill will have a production capacity of 700 thousand tons / year and will mainly address the automotive and machinery manufacturing industry. At the facility, high value added products which are not produced in our country and which are procured from abroad will be produced. The projected investment period is 2,5 years. The investment is planned to be completed by the end of 2015. Mushroom hardened rails, which are supplied by our country and currently supplied by import, can be produced with Ray Hardening Plant which is intended to produce mushroom hardened rails. Our company also makes important investments in the field of energy. The Power Plant with 50 MW capacity and the Hydroelectric Power Plant with 22,5 MW capacity are the major investments in the field of energy.

50 MW Power Plant, Blast Furnaces, Coke Batteries and Coke Gas from the plant as a by-product of the coke gas, blast furnace gas and steelhouse converters using gas after the use of the increasing amount of electricity is produced. Since it allows the use of by-product waste gases, it also carries an important environmental investment. HEPP Project, our subsidiary ENBATI A.Ş. It is maintained by. The investment is planned to be completed within 2014. With these investments, our company produces all the electricity it needs by its own means and will sell more.

The rail system has become one of Turkey's main agenda. How do you evaluate the existing potential of rail systems in the world and in our country?

When the railway infrastructure of our country is examined, it is seen that no significant investment has been made until the last years and the investments made in the first years of the Republic were satisfied. For this reason, a significant imbalance has occurred in the transportation sector in our country in the intervening years, unlike the developed countries, road transportation has gained weight and railway transportation has been left behind.

To overcome this imbalance in the transportation sector and to increase the share of rail transport in the sector has been adopted as a state policy and in recent years significant investments have been made in the railway transportation sector.

In the yol Transportation Master Plan bil prepared by the Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications, rail transport was considered to be an important issue and it was mentioned that the imbalance in the transportation system was largely relieved by the fact that the demand had been attracted to the railway. In the Transportation Master Plan, it is aimed to increase the share of the railway which is expected to be the most important transportation method of the future in total transportation and thus to establish a balanced and healthy transportation system. In this respect, TCDD has set its strategic targets. Some of these projects that are planned to be realized by 2023 are as follows:

Expansion of high-speed train and locomotive vehicle park, expansion of freight and passenger car vehicle park, renewal of existing lines, 10 thousand kilometer high speed train line, 4 thousand km of new conventional railway line, Completion of Marmaray Project and annual 700 million passenger transportation Completion of EgeRay Project, completion of BaşkentRay Project, creation of logistic centers, increase of rail share in 10 for passenger transport, increase to 15 in freight transport, increase of freight transportation to 200 million tons / year, increase of private sector share in railway operations upgrades, production of high-speed trains in our country, increasing the share of private sector in the production and maintenance of towing and towing vehicles.

When the targets determined by TCDD are analyzed, it is observed that investments in the railway sector will continue to increase.

Another important development regarding the railway transportation is the Resmi Liberalization of Railway Transportation ile law, which was published in the Official Gazette on 01.05.2013. With this law, private companies will be able to build their own railway infrastructure and operate on the national railway network. The most important goal of liberalization is to increase the share of railways in freight transport.

TCDD's plans for rail transport and the liberalization of railways and the introduction of private sector by rail transport will show that the importance of railway transportation will increase. In parallel with the increase in railway transportation, the locomotives, wagons and other railway transportation vehicle parks of both TCDD and private sector will increase significantly. In this respect, the railway transportation sector in our country is expected to be a growing market.

When Ray and Profile Rolling Mill in your company was established. Can we get information about the annual production capacity, export and customer portfolio of the facility?

Rail and Profile Rolling Mill was commissioned in 2007. 450.000 has tons / year capacity. In addition to all types of rail, 72 is the only facility between Turkey and countries in the region that can produce large size profiles up to 750 mm width, angle bars up to 200 mm width and thick and high quality steel of all sizes up to 200 mm diameter. Ray and Profile Mills investment with the Republic of Turkey State Railways (TCDD) needed by our company meet all rail, Syria, Iran, capable of exporting to the world market, especially in countries such as Iraq has become a company.

Çankırı Scissor Factory in partnership with TCDD, Kardemir and VoestAlpine is another project in rail systems. What would you like to say about the factory?

VADEMSAŞ Company was established in partnership with Kardemir, TCDD and VoestAlpine. Çankırı Railroad Scissors Factory is the only railway shears manufacturer in Turkey. With the commissioning of this facility, it is possible to produce all kinds of conventional and high speed scissors which are not produced in our country and are supplied by import. In addition, the products have the potential to export. It is an investment that is a first for our country.

What is the work on the Railway Caster Factory? When will the plant be completed and when will the production run? What is the current capacity you are planning?

In our country, there is no railway wheel manufacturer and the need is met by imports. Turkey is the net importer of the railway wheel. The rail caster market, which is fully covered by imports, is an important market for our company. Our company, which has the advantage of being an integrated facility, can produce a large part of its steel quality at international standards, including the steel wheel quality. The railway caster is of high quality steel with high added value. The skilled steel market is an important market for Kardemir. The production of the railway wheel, which has a high added value, is in line with the strategic goal of our company's skilled steel production.

The facility constitutes an important pillar of our strategy to produce high value-added products. In the facility to be installed, locomotive wheels will be produced with cargo and passenger car wheels. 200 will be invested in 140 million dollars for the facility that will have a production capacity of one thousand units / year. A contract was signed with a foreign company for the project. The investment period is for 3 year and the investment will be completed at the end of the first half of 2016 and the first product will be purchased at the beginning of the second half of 2016.
Lastly, Kardemir is putting its signature under new projects in the field of education and industry in order to carry the high value added to Karabük. Could you inform us about this?
Our company has adopted the strategy of "making Karabükü the production center of railway materials". In this direction, it has implemented important projects, carried out important studies that will set an example for university-industry cooperation with Karabük University, and has provided significant support in the field of education.

Our completed and ongoing projects in the field of railway transportation; Rail and Profile Rolling Mill, Rail Hardening Facility, Çankırı Railway Shear Factory, Railway Wheel Production Facility and Wagon Production Project. In addition, the establishment of the Iron and Steel Institute at Karabuk University and the opening of the Rail Systems Engineering Department. One of our subsidiaries, Karçel A.Ş., started to manufacture freight wagons and produced 2 trial wagons, and an important step was taken in the production of wagons.

With the Railway Wheel Production Facility, freight and passenger wagon wheels and locomotive wheels needed by our country and currently supplied from abroad will be produced. With the commissioning of the facility, the domestic demand will be met, and at the same time, foreign currency inflow will be provided to our country with the export of the products.

While our company commissions important investments on the one hand, it also carries out joint projects with Karabük University and provides significant support to Karabük University. Within the body of Karabuk University; The support provided for the establishment of the Iron and Steel Institute and the Department of Rail Systems Engineering are considered important milestones for Kardemir to achieve its goals in the rail transportation sector.

These investments made and planned for the railway transportation sector are not only a first for our company but also for our country. With these investments, Kardemir is rapidly advancing towards becoming a national brand in the railway transportation sector.

It has adopted the strategy of “making Karabük the production center of railway materials”. In this direction, it has implemented important projects, carried out important studies that will set an example for university-industry cooperation with Karabük University, and has provided significant support in the field of education.