Hitachi Rail Europe has confirmed a £10 million order with Dellner for the gangways that will connect the UK’s future Intercity Express Programme (IEP) train fleet.
As well as supplying 1,500 gangways, Dellner will provide after sales support and maintenance services from its UK site near Derby.
Hitachi Rail Europe’s procurement director, Jamie Foster, and Dellner chief executive David Pagels signed the contracts at Dellner’s UK site in Swadlincote.
Dellner said the order will secure the future of the site’s 162 employees.
David Pagels, chief executive of Dellner Ltd, said: “Dellner Limited are proud and excited to be working closely with Hitachi on this project and other projects going forward.
“The efforts of both the Swedish and UK teams will result in an outstanding product for the new express trains.”
UK suppliers who have already agreed terms with Hitachi include Romag (windows), Nomad Digital (Onboard server), GB Railfreight and Knorr-Bremse (brakes).
Speaking about the contract signing, Jamie Foster said: “Every one [new contract] is another step forward for us and closes out a major milestone.”
Design and development of the gangways is well underway, with the first unit to be delivered in March 2014.
Gary Shuttleworth, managing director of Dellner Limited, said that by using a modified manufacturing process, the company is able to create gangways that are able to meet the stringent demands on movement set by the Super Express train design.
Hopefully, these gangways will be completely manufactured at Swadlincote and not imported from Sweden, which would make a mockery of Hitachi’s promise of a UK supply chain.
These will be manufactured and assembled in Swadlincote and we are talking about further UK content work as well with Hitachi
2014 is looming in and I’m finding it increasingly hard to envision these being in service on schedule. I would love to be surprised though.