Railway PRO

Deutsche Bahn awarded United Wagon Company the Q2 quality status, following a quality audit process which allows the rolling stock producer to supply freight cars to DB. Status as a Q2 supplier to Deutsche Bahn and the EN 15085 welding certificate create promising new opportunities for UWC on the European market. Currently, UWC is the leading builder of innovative railcars in the 1520-mm track gauge area.

The audit was carried out by specialists of Deutsche Bahn, who reviewed the quality management system at United Wagon Company and also at the All-Union Research and Development Centre for Transportation Technology (VNICTT) and the Tikhvin Freight Car Building Plant (TVSZ) which are both owned by UWC.

The audit gave a high assessment of the processes used by UWC for the design and production of new freight cars models, quality assurance, warranty and service maintenance.

“We hope that Deutsche Bahn’s assessment will serve as a signal to the whole of the European market. UWC is now the only freight car manufacturer outside the European Union which has the right to supply cars to companies in Europe,” said Maxim Kuzemchenko, Deputy CEO for Business Development at UWC.

In total, the audit covered more than 20 aspects of UWC’s business. The final score was calculated as the sum of scores for all criteria based on a 100-point scale and was presented as a 360-degree chart. The railway holding received scores in a range from 90 to 100 points on 18 counts and from 80 to 90 points on five counts.

Tikhvin Freight Car Building Plant has successfully passed certification to the EN 15085 Welding of Railway Vehicles and Components European standard. The certification audit was carried out by TÜV Rheinland, in addition to the Deutsche Bahn audit.