07 December 2009
GE Transportation Celebrates First Evolution® Series Locomotive Assembled in Kazakhstan Plant
Kazakh Prime Minister Karim K. Massimov recognizes achievement of producing first Evolution® Series locomotive in Kazakhstan
Astana, Kazakhstan and Erie, Pennsylvania, USA (December 7, 2009) - GE Transportation has announced today that the first Evolution® Series locomotive has been assembled in a new locomotive plant in Astana, Kazakhstan. On July 3, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, officially opened the plant that assembles GE Evolution Series locomotives to serve railroad customers in Kazakhstan and the surrounding region. Today, just five months later, the first locomotive has been successfully assembled and celebrated during an official ceremony at the Astana plant in the presence of Kazakh Prime Minister Karim K. Massimov and GE Transportation President and CEO Lorenzo Simonelli.
"KTZ and GE Transportation have a long and fruitful history of working together to help drive the Republic of Kazakhstan’s economic development by ensuring that its critical rail infrastructure remains modern, reliable and efficient now and in the future," said Lorenzo Simonelli, President and CEO of GE Transportation. "The first GE Evolution Series locomotive assembled in country marks another milestone in our existing strategic relationship with KTZ and Kazakhstan. With this milestone, we have moved beyond helping to improve Kazakhstan’s rail infrastructure; we are helping diversify Kazakhstan’s economy and manufacturing industry with the creation of this locomotive assembly plant that produces the Evolution Series locomotives for the Republic of Kazakhstan and the surrounding region.”
GE Investment in Astana Assembly Plant
The 43,000 square meter plant produces GE’s Evolution Series locomotives and at full capacity, the facility would be capable of assembling approximately 100 locomotives per year. In 2006, JSC National Company -- Kazakstan Temir Zholy (“KTZ”) ordered 310 GE Evolution Series locomotives. The first ten units are already in operation in Kazakhstan and have demonstrated a one Evolution Series for two TE10 replacement ratio. This replacement ratio allows KTZ to pull more freight with fewer locomotives, thus saving on fuel and maintenance costs. The other locomotives will be assembled in the Astana plant from components and kits manufactured in Erie and Grove City, Pennsylvania, USA.
GE’s continuing commitment to the Republic of Kazakhstan
The announcement is the latest in a series between GE Transportation and Kazakhstan. Since 2005, GE Transportation has helped upgrade the TE10 locomotives using a modernization package that includes a new microprocessor, electronic fuel injection engine and cooling system. Modernization can extend the revenue-generating life of a locomotive by up to twenty years. Moreover, the 3000th Evolution Series locomotive produced by GE Transportation was delivered to JSC Lokomotiv for KTZ. Today, approximately 3,500 Evolution Series locomotives are in use worldwide. In May 2009, GE Transportation announced a 15-year, $500 million service contract to further improve the performance of KTZ’s fleet of TE10 locomotives. On July 3, GE announced the grand opening of a new GE Evolution series locomotive assembly plant in Astana, Kazakhstan.
About the Evolution Series Locomotive
The Evolution Series locomotive assembled in the Astana plant represents a $400 million investment by GE over eight years. The innovative locomotive is equipped with a 12-cylinder diesel engine that produces the same 4,400 horsepower as its 16-cylinder predecessor. The Evolution engine uses up to 5% less fuel, or approximately 1.1 million fewer liters of fuel over the life of the locomotive, while reducing emissions by approximately 40%.
The Evolution Series locomotive is one of GE’s most prominent ecomaginationä products. Ecomagination is a GE-wide initiative to help meet customer demand for more energy-efficient products while generating profitable growth for the company.
Approximately 17,000 GE locomotives are currently in use in more than 50 countries around the world.
About GE Transportation
Established more than 100 years ago, GE Transportation, a unit of GE (NYSE: GE), is a global technology leader and supplier to the railroad, marine, drilling, mining and wind industries. GE provides freight and passenger locomotives, railway signaling and communications systems, information technology solutions, marine engines, motorized drive systems for mining trucks and drills, high-quality replacement parts and value added services. GE Transportation is headquartered in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA, and employs approximately 10,000 employees worldwide. For more information visit www.getransportation.com.
Media Contact
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