NEWAG S.A. has been relying on EMKA quality for 15 years

Newag S.A. is a Polish company based in Nowy Sącz, specialising in manufacturing and maintaining rail vehicles. The history of the railway specialist dates back to 1876. This long history makes Newag one of the oldest and most traditional railway companies in Poland. Today, the name Newag is synonymous with the successful implementation of technical innovations. Currently, the company has a staff of approximately 1,300 employees. Newag products are being used in many European countries.

The Newag Group has been the Polish market leader for the production and modernisation of Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) and electric locomotives for several years. However, modernising diesel locomotives is still part of the company’s range of services. Since 2012, trams have also been part of the company’s product range. 

The high quality of Newag trains has already been awarded twice with the IRIS (International Railway Industry Standard) gold certificate. This is one of the most prestigious awards in the railway sector. It is only awarded for the highest standards in quality management and continuous improvement. The company’s splendid success in a highly competitive market is also reflected in the “Transforming the Polish Industry” award from the Trade Press, the Forbes Diamond, and the title of Lesser Poland Leader.

The collaboration with EMKA began in February 2009 when Newag S.A. was looking for a partner to supply components for locking systems. The global market leader from Velbert is also known in Poland for the high quality of its innovative solutions in the segment of industrial locking systems, which can be adapted to the specific requirements of the railway industry. The EMKA product catalogue for rail vehicles includes quarter turns, compression latches, multi-point locking systems, hinges, gaskets, and emergency hammers. The key requirements were high durability and reliability of the components under extreme operating conditions and compliance with the particularly high safety standards in rail transportation systems. In addition, the products had to meet the different design requirements of the Newag trains. EMKA’s experience in the railway industry and its excellent customer service were also factors in its favour.

Various EMKA products have been installed in the Newag Group’s trains in the past 15 years, including stainless steel compression latches (with “square 8” insertion key), fire protection gaskets and edge protections, emergency hammers with hand protection, and anti-theft brackets. The compression latches for use in rail transport have successfully completed shock- and vibration resistant tests compliant with DIN EN 61373. Locking systems with colour markings make it particularly easy to identify the locking position. If required, the latches can be equipped with visual opening indicators such as flaps and lids, that are clearly visible when a latch is not locked. They are therefore easy to operate and fail-safe. The fire protection gaskets for rail transport are manufactured in EMKA’s factory in Spain. Not only is this factory certified according to ISO 9001 and IATF 16949, but also has an in-house test laboratory. These gaskets fulfil the current fire protection standards and also withstand the stresses in hazardous areas. Strict safety regulations apply to fire protection, especially for trains travelling through tunnels and over bridges. The emergency hammer with hand protection is made of glass fibre-reinforced plastic, which meets all the prescribed fire safety regulations. It is certified in accordance with DIN EN 45545-2 HL3. The hammer’s hardened steel tip easily breaks reinforced safety glass, laminated safety glass and insulating glass panes, thus quickly creating an escape route in an emergency. The EMKA emergency hammer holder has a concealed anti-theft device. 

The product was recently presented with the Red Dot Design Award 2024. According to Newag, all EMKA products feature excellent properties in terms of corrosion resistance and mechanical strength, which are crucial for the railway company’s applications. The trams and trains fitted with EMKA components are in operation throughout Poland and in some cases also in other European countries. The approval process is currently underway for the new “Griffin” locomotive from Newag, which also uses EMKA’s locking systems and gaskets. The “Griffin” is the first Polish locomotive to reach a speed of 240 km/h. This requires a higher load capacity for all components, which the specialist from Velbert also guarantees. In the future, the “Griffin” locomotive will be used on lines in Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary.