Loco manufacturer obtains first IRIS certification in Kazakhstan

The Astana-based EKZ joint venture of Alstom (50%), national railway KTZ (25%) and Transmashholding (25%) has obtained International Railway Industry Standard certification.

Bernard Peille, Managing Director of Alstom in South CIS, said EKZ was ‘proud’ to be the first railway vehicle manufacturer in the country to obtain IRIS certification, which ‘demonstrates our continuous improvement and good fit between quality management system and our customers' demands’.

EKZ employs 420 people manufacturing and maintaining Prima electric locomotives. There are currently 42 KZ8A freight and 20 KZ4AT passenger locomotives in service with KTZ, and more are on order for delivery by 2020. In 2015 Azerbaijan's national railway ADY ordered 50 locomotives from Alstom and EKZ.

Alstom has more than 600 staff and two joint ventures in Kazakhstan. As well as EKZ, the KazElectroPrivod 50:50 joint venture with KTZ subsidiary Kamkor produces point machines in Almaty.