Severstal and UWC join forces to revolutionize Russia's freight railcars

Severstal and United Wagon Company (UWC) have signed a new cooperation agreement in engineering. The deal was announced at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). It focuses on improving Russia’s domestic freight car manufacturing through joint development and innovation.

The partnership will see experts from Severstal’s Engineering Center collaborate with UWC’s designers. Together, they will work on new materials and technologies for mass production of advanced railcars.

The agreement marks a step toward boosting the competitiveness of Russia’s freight car industry. UWC PJSC will increase its use of Severstal’s metal products as part of the deal. Alexander Shevelev, CEO of Severstal, has stated that the company aims to make UWC a key strategic partner in railcar manufacturing.

One of the first projects under this partnership is the second-generation 12-6744 gondola car. This model features an increased load capacity of 77 tons per car. A train using these new cars can carry 550 tons more than one with standard models. Serial production of the upgraded gondola is planned to begin in 2026. Widespread use of the new model could reduce the need for conventional cars by 10%. Irina Olkhovskaya, CEO of UWC PJSC, views this cooperation as the foundation for a future-oriented platform. The goal is to expand the technology to other types of freight cars in the long term.

The partnership between Severstal and UWC aims to strengthen domestic railcar production. By introducing more efficient designs and materials, the companies expect to cut fleet requirements and increase capacity. The first results of this collaboration are set to appear with the launch of the new gondola car in 2026.