In Zhuzhou, Central China's Hunan Province, also known as the "cradle of China's electric locomotives," it takes just hours from transport to assembly for the tens of thousands of parts required to produce an electric locomotive, local industry insiders say.
Led by CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd., the rail transit equipment industry in Zhuzhou has formed an innovative industrial cluster that brings together more than 400 neighboring enterprises working on the manufacturing of complete vehicles as well as their core components.
A view of the world's largest electric locomotive factory at CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd. [Photo provided by CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd.]
In the case of a railway transportation vehicle exported to Europe, with nearly 10,000 parts sourced from the cluster, CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd. could complete the delivery of the train in just 18 months, half the time of its international peers.
CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd. is a subsidiary of CRRC Corporation Limited (CRRC).
The company has developed over 60 types of mainline electric locomotives, leading the transformation of China's electric locomotive technology from low to high speed, light to heavy loads, DC to AC transmission, and from imports to exports.
It has established an international first-class platform for the research and development of urban rail transit vehicles, and has provided customized products for more than 30 cities worldwide.
It has obtained more than 90 project orders, including for locomotives, subway trains, high-speed trains and maintenance vehicles, from over 51 countries and regions.
In March 2022, China's first homegrown commercial maglev 3.0 train, developed by CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd., completed operational tests. Safer and more comfortable, it has absorbed the technical strengths of previous maglev 1.0 and 2.0 trains and has achieved new breakthroughs in multiple technologies.
Intelligent manufacturing is a crucial force driving the innovation and transformation of China's manufacturing industry, and serves as a powerful model of high-quality development for companies such as CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd.
The company boasts the world's largest electric locomotive factory, which can simultaneously assemble 18 electric locomotives. It has developed over 60 types of mainline electric locomotives, including those for high-speed passenger transport, the dual transport of passenger and freight, and heavy-duty freight, so far with a cumulative production of more than 10,000 units.
A view of the world's first intelligent manufacturing workshop for railway bogie frames at CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd. [Photo provided by CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd.]
It also has built the world's first intelligent manufacturing workshop for railway bogie frames, with a focus on smart decision-making and management, digital R&D and engineering, integrated production and control, and intelligent products and services. It started operation in 2018 and has increased production efficiency by 30 percent.
The company also has provided services for customs worldwide. On January 22, the Istanbul New Airport Metro Line opened with fully automated, driverless subway trains that can reach speeds of up to 120 kilometers per hour, which were supplied by CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd., marking China's first export of such subway trains overseas.
(Executive editor: Wang Ruoting)
