Škoda Transportation signed a contract with the Chinese company CSR Sifang Quingdao Co.Ltd. about licence for technologies for production of low-floor trams of the type ForCity (15T) in June last year. First prototype was manufactured in China recently and the company CSR Sifang Quingdao begins to offer this modern vehicle on the local market.
“The prototype of the tram ForCity in China was successfully activated and tested in the middle of January and trial runs were made in the production plant with the participance of our technicians. We can now announce that the tram manufactured in China is prepared for presentation to potential clients. It is a proof that the cooperation between our two companies has been a success,” says Tomáš Krsek, chairman of the Board of Directors of the company Škoda Transportation.
There are more than 160 cities in China with more than one million of inhabitants. These cities plan great investments into the development of their infrastructure and rail vehicles are to form the backbone system of public transport. ”I must emphasise that the Chinese market starts to be very demanding with regard to requirements, which concern technological level of products – they require only the world top products. That is why we are very proud in our company that we were able to sell them the licence for production of trams ForCity last year. Besides Prague, this tram is also used in the Latvian city of Riga,” adds Petr Vízdal, director of business development of the company Škoda Transportation.
More than 150 Chinese professionals from the ranks of technical management were trained in the production plants of Škoda Transportation during last year and these trainings will continue even this year. Each of the phases of these trainings were focused on some of the crucial areas of a production of a tram, so today the Chinese are prepared to offer the tram ForCity in tenders issued by Chinese towns. “ForCity is in the portfolio of trams, which we offer to our clients, it is absolutely a top product. It is a fully low-floor tram with individual drive for all wheels and unique rotating chassis. This means that it can manage the most difficult tracks in the city,“ said Josef Bernard, general manager of Škoda Transportation.
In the middle of the previous year, Škoda Transportation concluded the contract with the Chinese company CSR Sifang Quingdao for 10 year licence for production of ForCity trams. The sale of the licence confirms the uniqueness and high technical level of the tram 15T.
Press Release of Škoda Transportation, 6 March 2014
