Arriva and Strukton Rail are joining forces to create a modern workshop in Zutphen. Strukton Rail is to extend its current activities in the new workshop. Arriva will carry out its own maintenance there on the 40 trains running on lines that will be operated by Arriva in the east of the Netherlands (Vechtdal lines and Achterhoek Rivierenland). By maintaining its own trains Arriva is increasing its involvement in the operation. This will lead directly to greater punctuality in the service. In addition, Arriva and Strukton Rail are creating new job opportunities and the companies are providing an economic boost to the region by choosing Zutphen as the workshop site.
Experience makes for additional impact
Arriva and Strukton Rail have opted for cooperation. The companies augment each other through their own specific expertise and experience. Arriva International and its parent company, Deutsche Bahn, have vast experience in maintaining their own trains. Strukton has for years had its own workshop, where the company primarily maintains track-related machinery and supplies high-value services and products for electrical train systems. Cooperation between the two partners means that this expertise and experience will be combined to greater effect.
Economic boost
Zutphen is an attractive site for both partners. For Arriva, because it lies at the centre of the region in which Arriva operates. Strukton Rail has for years maintained it work trains at Zutphen. Firstly, there are good links to the main national routes and in addition there is a favourable environment in Zutphen for recruiting well-trained technical staff. However, the current workshop has become too small for the machinery, which is constantly increasing in size. The workshop, which still has to be built, will provide additional space. This provides Strukton with the opportunity of expanding its activities in the workshop. Apart from routine works, like installing train safety systems and maintaining engines, Strukton is expanding the electrical engineering and electronic maintenance of railway vehicles. This, but also the arrival of Arriva with the maintenance of its own passenger trains, will generate additional activity in Zutphen and provide a major economic boost to the region. There will not only be additional job opportunities in the workshop itself, but also work for the supply companies in Zutphen and its surroundings.
Technical tour de force
Apart from routine maintenance, Strukton’s new workshop offers a new facility for turning carriage wheels. This allows Arriva to repair damaged wheels quickly, for example when fallen leaves on the rails cause flattened wheels. ‘Previously we were dependent on NS (Dutch Railways) facilities,' Arriva Nederland executive Anne Hettinga said. ‘This new option speeds up the entire maintenance and repair process and reduces the chance of train cancellations many times over. As a result we are able to offer our passengers an even better service.'
New trains
The new rail concessions for Arriva in the east of the Netherlands begin in December 2012. Arriva has ordered a total of 38 'Spurt' trains from Stadler. Arriva has had good results with these trains in the northern Netherlands and on the Merwede-Linge line. They are environmentally friendly and make little noise, meaning that they are easy on the surroundings. They are also transparent, accessible and safe trains with air-conditioning. On the Almelo–Mariënberg route Arriva will use the existing Lint diesel trains, which were completely refurbished before the start of the concession.