Andritz received an order from Allegro, a subsidiary of Evraz and RailService established to produce train wheels in Russia, for a complete production line for train wheels. The production process includes several stages. Blanks produced by Evraz are heated to 2282°F (1250°C) in a rotary-hearth furnace, then descaled and pre-formed in a hydraulic press with 10,000 tons of press force. The blanks are then rolled in a wheel-rolling machine developed by Schuler and forged into a finished product in a crimping and piercing press with 5,000 tons of press force. This is followed by a geometric test in a laser measuring system and permanent marking in a marking press. Finally, the wheels undergo heat treatment, and the running surfaces are hardened.

Andritz Group subsidiaries Andritz Maerz and Schuler will supply the production line. The main part of the contract is expected to be booked in mid-2021, with the first delivery scheduled for the first quarter of 2022. The new production line will enable Allegro to produce 200,000 train wheels per year and up to 300,000 with a further extension. Production is scheduled to start in the fourth quarter of 2022, and the project will create a total of 425 new jobs.