The Beginning of a New Era in Railway Equipment Manufacturing

Promeco has a long history with a certain railway equipment manufacturer. When our partner merged into a larger global entity, a new chapter began in our collaboration, bringing new learning experiences for Promeco. 

New Ways to Collaborate 

Changes in collaboration have required Promeco to adopt new working methods and modify existing practices. One of the most significant changes has been the increase in the level of documentation required. The company’s standards for all projects are high, meaning that starting new projects now requires more time and thoroughness. 

“There have been several new prototypes in production where the level of inspections and documentation has been much more extensive than before”, says Promeco’s Key Account Manager, Sami Anttonen. 

A significant investment was the certification of the international railway industry standard IRIS in 2022. 

First Projects 

Promeco’s initial projects are focused on France, Sweden, and Belgium. 

“These projects have opened new opportunities for Promeco in our partner’s different units, but they have also required us to develop new solutions and operating models”, Anttonen says, adding, “The company’s investment in quality and safety also ties more of our resources to quality assurance.” 

The first project has already moved into mass production, but the second project will continue to develop pre-series. “One of the biggest changes has been the structural challenges of the products, which we are still developing together with our customer,” says Anttonen. 

Previously, the products were primarily profile-structured, but now they have shifted almost entirely to sheet structures, which are more challenging to weld. 

Product designs come from the customer, but Anttonen emphasises the importance of starting collaboration at an early stage: “For the success of the project, it is important that the cooperation starts well in advance, so that we can solve any production challenges already at the design stage.” 

Material challenges could arise, especially if the alloy used differs from previous ones. This has led to trials involving the alloy and welding filler materials. “We test different welding methods and joint designs to find suitable solutions”, Anttonen explains. 

Future Prospects 

The cooperation has opened up new opportunities for Promeco to grow and develop, and orders are expected for the coming years as well. 

Promeco has responded to the increased workload by expanding its staff, ensuring that it can continue to provide high-quality solutions and services in the future. Continuous learning and adapting to new requirements play a key role in Promeco’s business.