Safety platforms and walking surfaces
Graepel wins US railroad contract
Sheet metal specialist Graepel is rolling towards a new record in the USA: 35% growth is expected for 2018. The extensive US railroad order that the company recently completed is likely to play a significant role.
The customer is wagon giant Union Tank Car (UTLX), the largest manufacturer, maintenance company and lessor of tank wagons in North America. Graepel manufactures the safety platforms and running surfaces for all of the market leader's new wagons. This makes the sheet metal specialist one of the top suppliers in the industry at a stroke.
"We've been working towards this for a long time," says US boss Mark Zumdohme. "Graepel gratings are already widely used in vehicle construction and by machine and plant manufacturers." However, the new order is a real milestone.
In fact, the company has a wealth of expertise in this segment. This is reflected in the product range, which is characterized by an enormous selection of embossings, materials, standards and options. Safety gratings with ColorGrip coating are currently at the cutting edge of technology: despite the application of paint, the anti-slip properties remain intact - something that was previously considered impossible.
The gratings are manufactured at the company's US headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. The blanks come as preliminary products from the German plant in Seehausen/Altmark, which specializes in developments for safety "underfoot". Graepel has therefore also divided up the added value transatlantically.
Safety is a high priority in the USA. Accidents involving tank wagons carrying up to 130,000 liters of hazardous goods have raised public awareness. As a German manufacturer, Graepel has a very good reputation. First-class references from supply contracts for the US vehicle industry underline this.
The deal with UTLX may open the doors for Graepel at the Omaha site for further expansion in the country with the longest rail network in the world. The headquarters of Union Pacific, the largest US railroad company, is also located there.
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