FFU railroad sleepers are already in use in Europe, as here in Cologne, Germany. Up to now, however, they always had to be imported from Japan. (Source: Sekisui)
Sekisui: New plant for synthetic railway sleepers in Europe
The Urban Infrastructure & Environmental Products (UIEP) Company of Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd. announced that it will open a production plant for the manufacture of synthetic wood for railway sleepers made from long glass-fibre-reinforced foamed urethane (FFU) in the Netherlands. According to the company, this will expand its production capacity for FFU railway sleepers 1.8 times larger than now as well as significantly reduce delivery times to Europe by eliminating transportation from Japan. The construction of the plant in Roermond will begin in 2021; the production itself is expected to start in Q1 2023.
The plant will be built by Sekisui Eslon B.V., an extrusion and injection moulding expert of Sekisui’s UIEP Company. The plant will have a total floor space of 4,400 m2 and employ 50 people at full capacity. The entire factory will be running on electricity. Background for the decision to build the new plant in the Netherlands is the fact that currently most FFU railway sleepers are produced at the Shiga-Ritto Plant in Japan. Nonetheless, increasing overseas market demand made it essential for Sekisui to commit to a new production facility in the heart of Europe utilising the infrastructure from Sekisui Eslon B.V.
“We are very proud to have the opportunity to open such an innovative and future-oriented manufacturing site here in Roermond,” said Paul Koopman, Managing Director of Sekisui Eslon B.V. “The new plant will enable swift delivery of premium quality FFU railway sleepers to customers in Europe, faster than ever before.”
The plant will coordinate the production of individual orders together with processing partners located in the vicinity of each sales destination. In this way, different product specifications for different markets and customers can be closely coordinated, thus assuring optimal product quality and delivery period. Sales drives within Europe will be managed and spearheaded by Sekisui Chemical GmbH, a German subsidiary that represents Sekisui’s European operations by providing a wide range of advanced solutions through import and export activities between Sekisui Japan and their European markets.
The plant in Roermond will have a total floor space of 4,400 m2 and employ 50 people at full capacity. (Source: Sekisui)
“The new plant in Roermond will enable us to considerably reduce delivery times of top-quality FFU railway sleepers,” said Clemens Bretschneider, Manager Railway Products of Sekisui Chemical GmbH. “This is a vital aspect of our general strategy to expand our activities on the European market, which started more than ten years ago, and to develop a strong and long-term customer network. We expect increased sales of our product soon, so this is the perfect time to build a new plant in Central Europe.”
FFU (Fibre-reinforced Foamed Urethane) is produced by reinforcing thermosetting resin foam (hard urethane resin) using long glass-fibres. This makes it lightweight while simultaneously offering very good durability, weather resistance, and processability. In addition to railway systems, it has a wide range of applications including architecture and civil engineering, truck beds and vessel decks, manufacturing plants and aquaculture facilities, as well as sporting facilities and parks.
FFU was developed and released for production in 1974. Its use as material for railway sleepers spans more than 40 years. It is currently being used by various railway companies in Japan. Outside of Japan, the first order was commissioned in 2003. Since then, Europe has become a major market, with expectations of increasing demand including major railway companies in Germany and the United Kingdom. In 2017, Sekisui Chemical finally got the approval from the German Federal Railway Authority (EBA). To date, FFU railway sleepers have been sold in 31 countries worldwide, including various EU countries, the USA, Australia, and China.
Headquartered in Japan, Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd. and its subsidiaries make up the Sekisui Chemical Group. The group has 27,000 employees in over 200 companies throughout 21 countries. Sekisui Chemical now holds leading positions in its three diverse business divisions as well as top global market share in interlayer film, foam products, conductive particles and more.
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