For the last 10 years, Bemo Rail, a Dutch company specializing in the development, production, assembly, maintenance and repair of rails, crane tracks and shunting vehicles, has chosen Mattei compressors to supply compressed air on board its vehicles
Established in the 1970s, Bemo Rail has grown steadily and now employs about 60 people in its two business units: rail technology, which deals with infrastructure, and shunting technology, which deals instead with the vehicles on rails.
Ron Entius is the project manager of the unit that builds locomotives for industrial use, as well as retrofitting and overhauling other locomotives, and he is familiar with the advantages of Mattei’s onboard compressor systems. In fact, that was what initiated the partnership with Mattei: «We needed a compressor with a compact, yet powerful, design», he explains, «and Mattei had the right solution. Their onboard compressors are compact, low-noise and powerful. Previously, we used piston compressors, which were very bulky and noisy. Nowadays, particularly on electric locomotives, the absence of noise is a determining factor».
Vane technology holds many advantages for the rail industry, both for onboard systems and infrastructure applications. The low rotational speed, which generally does not exceed 2,000 rpm, makes the compressors extremely quiet and, equally as important, vibration-free. In addition, the extremely low rotational speed results in more air, greater reliability and reduced energy consumption.
A strong partnership
A cornerstone of the partnership is Mattei’s ability to intervene quickly in resolving difficulties and customize the product: «We recently received a supply of 20 units and had some trouble with the anchoring system. A specialized technician arrived in no time from the German subsidiary and solved the problem quickly». Another essential element is the breadth of the range: «The design is compact, and there are compressors of different sizes and powers, which allows us to have different applications».
According to Entius, the energy savings and sustainability of Mattei compressors are already great advantages, «but they will be even more so in the future, when there will be more and more hybrid and electric vehicles, while currently the number of diesel-powered locomotives is still high».
The railway sector is enjoying a period of great development, thanks mainly to international orders: «We have signed an agreement with Tata Steel, a multinational company based in Mumbai, to build 10 large locomotives over 3 years. This order will almost saturate our operational capacity, which is about 4 locomotives. And we have many other requests, from our own country and others. To meet these commitments, we have activated several partnerships to ensure high-quality products. The ability to find partners, including local ones, is one of our growth drivers. Asia is also becoming an important target market, and we are also trying to find some partners there».
Bemo Rail’s development also positively involves Mattei: «We have some projects in the pipeline: the construction of vehicles for Qatar and Indonesia, and I believe that in the middle of next year we will be able to deal with them together». Mattei Group’s quality and technology are a valuable asset for partners in Europe and beyond: innovation, scope, service, exclusive and proprietary technology are the elements in which the group has decided to invest.
