Annual Report 2010 - Knorr-Bremse AG.

56 RepoR t | RAIL Ve HICLe SYSteMS
Certification of GOST-standard testing facility
Knorr-Bremse is the first – and currently the only – company outside Russia to have achieved certification
of a testing facility for braking equipment built to the GOST standard, which applies in Russia and
the Commonwealth of Independent States. The company is now in a position to test and certify a
wide range of components for the Russian market both at its Munich headquarters and also in Berlin.
The facility can be used during product development and also for certification purposes. Avoiding the
need to ship components to Russia for testing and certification means the company can considerably
increase its process flexibility and shorten its delivery times.
Depending on the project concerned, the company is able to test rail vehicle braking equipment such
as brake discs and brake blocks as well as complete bogie equipment. Other testable components
include compressors with their motors and air reservoirs, and also control valves.
New building in India
In the fall of 2010 Knorr-Bremse India completed its plans for the construction of a new rail vehicle
systems plant. On a site close to the existing facility, a modern building offering about 18,000 m 2 of
production and office space will house some 400 employees who will manufacture rail vehicle brake
control systems, bogie equipment, compressors and air dryers. The new building had become necessary
because of recent exponential growth in the Indian market – with predictions of a further
medium-term increase in demand as India continues to expand its infrastructure.
In line with Knorr-Bremse India’s international strategy, the new plant will work with certified suppliers
to produce components for the Indian market. The company will be applying the global Knorr-Bremse
Production System (KPS), which ensures that processes are standardized along the entire value chain
– from raw material processing and surface treatment right down to assembly and final quality testing.
Knorr-Bremse’s new building will also set a new environmental benchmark by adhering to the “Green
Building Standard”. This involves, for example, significantly reducing CO 2
emissions through efficient
air conditioning and high-specification building insulation.
Expansion in China
Knorr-Bremse China is preparing for the future and responding to steady growth in demand. The company’s
Chinese sites are expanding their production facilities, installing new plant and streamlining
their processes – reflecting the company’s huge success in this growth market.
Suzhou site grows
In 2010 the first major expansion of Knorr-Bremse’s “Suzhou II” plant, which had been a new-build in 2007,
was completed. Within five months an additional 5,700 m 2 of production facilities and approximately
3,300 m 2 of office space and functional/social areas were created, bringing the total to 22,500 m 2 .