JAPAN: Mitsubishi Electric has been awarded its first contract with Siemens AG for railcar air-conditioning systems in new German trains.
The air conditioning systems will be deployed in Desiro high capacity railcars on the Rhine-Ruhr express (RRX) train network that connects cities and provinces in Germany’s North Rhine-Westphalia region. Mitsubishi Electric will deliver 328 air conditioning systems (82 trainsets totaling 164 cars) worth approximately JPY1.7bn (approximately $15m).
Tetsuya Takahashi, head of the Transportation Systems business at Mitsubishi Electric Europe, revealed that Europe is considered to be a key market with the highest demand in the world. “This contract will not only enable us to bolster our presence on the continent, but also increase our links with car-builders, railway operators and other local customers,” he said.
In April 2014, Mitsubishi Electric established a new division for the Transportation Systems business at Mitsubishi Electric Europe BV, a sales subsidiary, to strengthen local sales and after sales. At the same time, it also launched Mitsubishi Electric Klimat Transportation Systems SpA to strengthen production and after sales of railcar air-conditioning systems in Europe.
Earlier this year, Mitsubishi Electric acquired a 49% stake in Medcom, a Polish railway vehicle electrical equipment manufacturer.