Vossloh opens Sweden’s first new turnout factory in over a century

SWEDEN: Vossloh has opened Sweden’s first new turnout factory in more than a century, commissioning an automated plant at Sannahed to boost production capacity as infrastructure manager Trafikverket works to clear a long-running maintenance backlog.

The plant in Sannahed, opened on May 20, replaces Vossloh’s nearby Örebro production site, where turnouts for the Swedish rail network and neighbouring Nordic countries had been manufactured since 1914. Vossloh says the facility’s automated assembly line, including robotic installation of sleepers, will lift production capacity to up to 900 turnouts/year.

‘Sweden’s first new turnout factory in over a century is a significant milestone for the Swedish railway system’, said Minister for Infrastructure & Housing Andreas Carlson at the site’s opening. ‘It is a good example of collaboration in the railway industry and absolutely essential for eliminating bottlenecks, strengthening resilience and continuing the work to clear the maintenance backlog that has built up over a long period of time.’

Automated production, digital twins

The plant is located between Kumla and Hallsberg, one of the country’s most important railway hubs. The turnouts are set to be assembled on a conveyor belt across five consecutive stations in a 150 m long hall at the site. A robotic arm installs the sleepers before each turnout is built up step by step, with the automated process replacing many tasks traditionally carried out manually.

‘Sannahed sets new standards in automation, quality, and capacity’, said Vossloh CEO Oliver Schuster. ‘The new plant combines industrial turnout production with digital lifecycle management, for example through the use of digital twins of the turnouts.’

A dedicated hall at Sannahed has also been reserved for special-purpose production, as well as for training and further education of skilled workers.

Maintenance backlog

Trafikverket Director General Roberto Maiorana attended the inauguration alongside Carlson and Schuster, presenting the plant as part of the industrial capacity needed to accelerate renewal work on the Swedish network.

‘Today we are inaugurating more than just a new production facility for railway turnouts’, said Maiorana. ‘This is a key part of the industrial capacity needed for Sweden to catch up on the backlog of railway maintenance.’

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