ACRI: Editorial of Rail Transport 2020

rail transport l introductory word of the Association Dear readers, Railway industry companies are considered to be a stable engine of the Czech economy. The currently successful development of railway transport comes as a result of the 200-year old tradition of the Czech railway industry. This long tradition is successfully followed by the current representatives of the Czech railway industry, who do not rely only on tradition, but also invest significantly in the development of new products, the purchase of advanced technologies, and the renovation of production facilities. Technological innovation is a fundamental prerequisite to becoming competitive in this dynamically developing industry. The companies associated in ACRI have a significant share in supplies for the Czech railway system, with an ever-increasing share of exports. The turnover of companies in the Czech railway industry amounts to CZK 76 billion, of which exports account for 56 %, and the total number of employees is 20,000. Supplies from Třinecké železárny to a number of European countries are successful; BONATRANS, a manufacturer of wheelsets, has opened a plant in India and wheels from its plants are used almost all o v e r the world; Czech trams are operated reliably in Turkey, Germany, Slovakia, Finland, and Hungary; Czech companies participate in railway operation safety systems in Bulgaria, Serbia, Belarus, Slovakia, and other countries. Other projects include the supply of the InterPanter and RegioPanter electric multiple units manufactured by Škoda Plzeň for interurban and suburban transport in Slovakia, Germany, Lithuania, and Ukraine. As far as the Czech railways are concerned, they are virtually a stable partner for the national carriers, ČESKÉ DRÁHY and ČD CARGO. The whole system of the railway industry relies on suppliers of components. These companies specialise in the development and production of components and parts which are then incorporated into larger units. These include traction and control systems, brake systems, gearboxes, springs, forgings, bearings, cables, seats, electronics, and information systems. ing. Marie Alžběta Vopálenská CEO Association of the Czech Railway Industry www.technikaatrh.cz 1