MERAK: Knorr-Bremse launches unified global brand for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems for rail vehicles
2020-09-02 15:35:42
Summary：Munich, September 02, 2020 – Knorr-Bremse, the global market leader for braking andother systems for rail an...
Munich, September 02, 2020 – Knorr-Bremse, the global market leader for braking andother systems for rail and commercial vehicles, has unified its global activities in thearea of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC) for rail under the newumbrella brand MERAK. The transition comes at a crucial time, as MERAK is assistingrail operators around the world in providing cleaner and safer in-train air as well asrestoring normality in rail travel in times of COVID-19. This makes close cooperationwith customers more important than ever – and the unified MERAK now offers half acentury of experience, over 1,600 highly skilled professionals and more than 120,000units in operation worldwide.
“Having one single brand for intelligent rail climate control is the next logical step in anchoringthis family of systems in our overall portfolio,” confirms Dr. Peter Radina, Member of theManagement Board of Knorr-Bremse and also responsible for the HVAC business of Knorr-Bremse Rail Vehicle Systems. “The new brand combines the values, financial strength andadvanced technology of the Knorr-Bremse Group with the proximity, passion and expertisein air quality and climate control of all its HVAC sites”.
“MERAK stands for sustainable health onboard of trains and comfort all round – that meansworldwide, across all modes of rail transport, and over the entire life-cycle”, adds FernandoHazeu, Managing Director of MERAK.
Throughout the last decade, Knorr-Bremse has aligned the activities of all its HVACcompanies, integrating its MERAK global headquarters in Getafe, Spain, Merak NorthAmerica in Westminster, USA, the joint venture Merak-Jinxin in Wuxi, China, all Rail HVACactivities of Sigma in Granville, Australia, Kiepe Electric in Vienna, Austria, and Knorr-BremseIndia in Palwal, along with all its Rail Services locations. The new brand offers unique andworldwide coverage of sales, engineering, production, supply chain and rail services, unitedby a common network of tools and processes to drive consistent, first-rate and constantlyimproving performance for all customers.
Initially, Knorr-Bremse included climate control technology in its portfolio through theacquisition of Stone Ibérica, which has been dedicated to the design, manufacturing,installation and maintenance of HVAC systems for railway vehicles ever since its foundationin 1963. With the same goal in mind, Kiepe Bahn und Kran Electric Gesellschaft m.b.H. wentinto business in Vienna in 1959 and Sigma Coachair was founded in Australia in 1985.
In the year 2000, Stone Ibérica became Merak Sistemas Integrados de Climatización andwas integrated into the Knorr-Bremse Group in 2005, along with its subsidiaries in the USAand joint venture in China. With the acquisition of Sigma Coachair in 2010, and Kiepe Electricin 2017, Knorr-Bremse consolidated its position as a leading developer for climate controlsystems for railway vehicles worldwide.
“Having one single brand for intelligent rail climate control is the next logical step in anchoringthis family of systems in our overall portfolio,” confirms Dr. Peter Radina, Member of theManagement Board of Knorr-Bremse and also responsible for the HVAC business of Knorr-Bremse Rail Vehicle Systems. “The new brand combines the values, financial strength andadvanced technology of the Knorr-Bremse Group with the proximity, passion and expertisein air quality and climate control of all its HVAC sites”.
“MERAK stands for sustainable health onboard of trains and comfort all round – that meansworldwide, across all modes of rail transport, and over the entire life-cycle”, adds FernandoHazeu, Managing Director of MERAK.
Throughout the last decade, Knorr-Bremse has aligned the activities of all its HVACcompanies, integrating its MERAK global headquarters in Getafe, Spain, Merak NorthAmerica in Westminster, USA, the joint venture Merak-Jinxin in Wuxi, China, all Rail HVACactivities of Sigma in Granville, Australia, Kiepe Electric in Vienna, Austria, and Knorr-BremseIndia in Palwal, along with all its Rail Services locations. The new brand offers unique andworldwide coverage of sales, engineering, production, supply chain and rail services, unitedby a common network of tools and processes to drive consistent, first-rate and constantlyimproving performance for all customers.
Initially, Knorr-Bremse included climate control technology in its portfolio through theacquisition of Stone Ibérica, which has been dedicated to the design, manufacturing,installation and maintenance of HVAC systems for railway vehicles ever since its foundationin 1963. With the same goal in mind, Kiepe Bahn und Kran Electric Gesellschaft m.b.H. wentinto business in Vienna in 1959 and Sigma Coachair was founded in Australia in 1985.
In the year 2000, Stone Ibérica became Merak Sistemas Integrados de Climatización andwas integrated into the Knorr-Bremse Group in 2005, along with its subsidiaries in the USAand joint venture in China. With the acquisition of Sigma Coachair in 2010, and Kiepe Electricin 2017, Knorr-Bremse consolidated its position as a leading developer for climate controlsystems for railway vehicles worldwide.
Caption:
Figure 1: Knorr-Bremse has unified its global activities in the area of heating, ventilation and airconditioning systems (HVAC) for rail vehicles under the new umbrella brand MERAK at its Getafe sitein Spain. | ? Knorr-Bremse
Figure 2: With half a century of experience, over 1,600 highly skilled professionals and more than120,000 HVAC units in operation worldwide, MERAK, based in Spain, offers an ideal basis for globalcooperation with its customers. | ©Knorr-Bremse
Knorr-Bremse (ISIN: DE000KBX1006, Ticker symbol: KBX) is the global market leader for brakingsystems and a leading supplier of other rail and commercial vehicle systems. Knorr-Bremse’s productsmake a decisive contribution to greater safety and energy efficiency on rail tracks and roads aroundthe world. About 29,000 employees at over 100 sites in more than 30 countries use their competenceand motivation to satisfy customers worldwide with products and services. In 2019, Knorr-Bremse’stwo divisions together generated revenues of EUR 6.9 billion (IFRS). For more than 115 years thecompany has been the industry innovator, driving innovation in mobility and transportationtechnologies with an edge in connected system solutions. Knorr-Bremse is one of Germany’s mostsuccessful industrial companies and profits from the key global megatrends: urbanization,sustainability, digitization and mobility.
Figure 2: With half a century of experience, over 1,600 highly skilled professionals and more than120,000 HVAC units in operation worldwide, MERAK, based in Spain, offers an ideal basis for globalcooperation with its customers. | ©Knorr-Bremse
Knorr-Bremse (ISIN: DE000KBX1006, Ticker symbol: KBX) is the global market leader for brakingsystems and a leading supplier of other rail and commercial vehicle systems. Knorr-Bremse’s productsmake a decisive contribution to greater safety and energy efficiency on rail tracks and roads aroundthe world. About 29,000 employees at over 100 sites in more than 30 countries use their competenceand motivation to satisfy customers worldwide with products and services. In 2019, Knorr-Bremse’stwo divisions together generated revenues of EUR 6.9 billion (IFRS). For more than 115 years thecompany has been the industry innovator, driving innovation in mobility and transportationtechnologies with an edge in connected system solutions. Knorr-Bremse is one of Germany’s mostsuccessful industrial companies and profits from the key global megatrends: urbanization,sustainability, digitization and mobility.