Bullet proof Dellner

BULLET PROOF

Dellner is a world leader in train connection systems. Philip Yorke talked to Mats Hogberg, the company’s global marketing manager, about its futuristic train technology as well as its ambitious plans for growth.

Dellner Couplers is a unique company with a fascinating history and an equally interesting range of high-tech products. Founded in 1941 by Gunnar Dellner, the company started out as a local bicycle repair shop and shortly after opening its business was asked to repair couplers for a Swedish train company. As Dellner’s reputation for quality and reliability grew, so did its business. Throughout the years, the growing rail industry made the company move forward, and as a result the company today focus entirely on advanced train connection systems. Dellner is unique as the only company who can supply all interfaces that holds a train together. With the rapidly growing rail industry and global authorities aim to increase public transportation, the company’s future was secured. Today Dellner is a truly global company with manufacturing facilities on three continents and a network of sales offices worldwide.

Without exception, all of the world’s largest train manufacturers specify Dellner connection systems and components. The company has more than 500 employees working at its factories, service plants and sales offices. Since its acquisition of the leading British gangway

manufacturer, Woodville in 2009 it has become the world’s leading system integrator when it comes to the interface between rail cars and train front ends. In addition, Dellner services the majority of existing rail car types worldwide, regardless of their make. Furthermore, as far as the after-sales market is concerned, most large service operators choose the company as their supplier of choice. Enhancing partnership value

Dellner’s enviable reputation is based on a combination of innovative research, advanced design and customer orientation. The company has been responsible for introducing many breakthroughs in the rail industry, including gas hydraulic draft gears, high performance gangways, automatic retractable couplers, advanced energy absorption management systems and, more recently, high-speed data transmission systems.

Hogberg said, “We focus on what we do best: that is designing and producing advanced train connection systems. We plan to grow our lead in this field and as a result we participate in several preferred partner projects with our customers. Taking this strategy further, we also started a new company called Dellner Technology. This company has been created to focus exclusively on R&D within the Dellner Group of companies and to improve our ability to increase our product range and company offers.

“For example, we are now looking to produce some of our key components using high-strength steel instead of traditional steel castings. At the Innotrans Trade Show in Berlin, September 2010, the conceptual automatic coupler ‘The Avatar’ was presented to the industry. It was developed by Dellner in cooperation with the Swedish steel producer, SSAB. The result is increased safety and a dramatically lower weight for better fuel economy.

A vital role in safety management

For many years Dellner has been pioneering energy absorption management systems and today delivers advanced safety solutions to all of the world’s largest train manufacturers. The company’s unique D-BOX energy absorption system helps train operators to manage the minor impacts of everyday operations, but it is also designed to cope with the major impact experienced in a major collision. Hogberg added, “At Dellner we have taken the systems approach to energy absorption management. This means keeping deceleration to a minimum, something that is not always easy. The D-BOX works throughout the entire train and consists of various components in the coupler centre section and in the front end of the train and between carriages.”

In a collision, even at slow speeds, the train packs quite a punch. Therefore the interface between carriages is critical, especially when there are more than two involved. D-BOX’s unique design counters twisting and climbing to keep the train on the track and passengers safe. The impact is softened dramatically by the dissipation of huge kinetic forces in a matter of milliseconds, to prevent major deformation of the train’s carriages and wagons.

New horizons

Dellner Couplers is continuing to invest not only in new technology but also in the global services that it provides. By the end of 2012 the company plans to have wholly owned subsidiaries in 15 different countries. It already offers more types of couplers than anyone else and is the only company to have an integrated system for couplers and gangways. As a result of its clearly focused strategy, its innovative products are now utilised by train manufacturers in most countries throughout the world.

Where there is substantial investment in new infrastructure, Dellner Couplers is able to play a major role, “China is a very important market for us and we will be investing further in our main sites there. Two of these are wholly owned by us and the third is a joint venture with a Chinese manufacturer based in Qingdao. As a company we think globally but act locally and we normally start with a service facility taking us closer to our customers. However, we recently got involved in an important strategic venture to provide a complete train front end nose, including many of our products and key components.”

“Furthermore, we are currently opening a new service factory in Torino, Italy and one in Beijing, China. Beginning of 2012 Dellner Brazil will open in Sao Paulo.

Other areas of interest to us can be found anywhere in the world where infrastructure programmes are being planned – for example in Quatar/Doha, where the government is investing heavily in rail and road infrastructure to meet the demands of the world cup in 2020,” said Mr Hogberg.

Dellner accelerates for the future implementing a strong focus on an even more customer oriented and efficient Dellner Group. Further an optimised production structure with efficient regional sourcing and new innovative solutions will enable Dellner to serve its customers in the most efficient way. n