Sumitomo Metals and Sumitomo Corporation Receive Large Railway Wheel Order From Indian Railways

Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd. (Sumitomo Metals) and Sumitomo Corporation (SC) have won a major contract for 11,000 forged railway wheels from Indian Railways. These wheels will be used mainly on suburban trains running in the Mumbai district of India. Sumitomo Metals and SC last received a large order of railway wheels (of more than 10,000) from Indian Railways 15 years ago in 1992.

Indian Railways has approximately 280,000 railway carriages, and its railway network stretches roughly 64,000 kilometers-making it one of the world's largest railways run under a single management structure. As India's economy grows, rail freight and passenger transportation are expected to continue expanding significantly going forward. Moreover, to maintain the country's high economic growth rate, railway infrastructure, including railroads dedicated exclusively to freight, is expected to be upgraded and expanded.

Sumitomo Metals is now increasing its capacity to produce railway wheels at the Railway, Automotive & Machinery Parts Company's Osaka Steel Works (in Konohana-ku, Osaka) with the investment of 2.0 billion yen. Sumitomo Metals will complete this upgrade by the end of March 2008, which will boost annual output from 200,000 units to 240,000 units from April.

Sumitomo Metals' forged railway wheels have earned high acclaim abroad for their quality, and demand for this product is increasing in India. While maintaining their longstanding, cordial relationship with Indian Railways, Sumitomo Metals and SC will concentrate sales efforts on the Indian railway wheel market.

(Order details)
(1) Product: Railway wheels for trains
(2) Quantity: 11,000 units (4,600 tons)
(3) Delivery: From May 2008 to February 2009

(Reference: Location of Mumbai)