Chinese locomotive maker keeps supplies available despite coronavirus outbreak

Source:Xinhua Published: 2020/3/16 12:53:22

File photo: Xinhua


When he received an email confirming the train parts were delivered, Vinoth Kumar breathed a sigh of relief.

Line 1 of the Navi Mumbai metro, with its eight-train fleet supplied by CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd. (CRRC ZELC), is due to open in October. Kumar, an electrical technician working with the India unit of the Chinese manufacturer, has been debugging the metro system with his Indian and Chinese colleagues. However, after the unexpected COVID-19 outbreak, they had begun to fret about the supply of components.

In Zhuzhou, a central Chinese city known for its expertise in rail transit equipment, Liu Ying, deputy director of the CRRC ZELC's Project Management Center, also faced similar challenges, posed by the shortage of personnel, the lack of transport facilities and the lag in materials supply.

CATCH-UP PLAN

To keep its supplies available for its overseas projects, the company formulated a catch-up plan for production amid the outbreak, and monitored daily progress with various departments and suppliers, Liu said, adding that about 95 percent of its employees have returned to work.

Ding Ci, technical manager of the company's India's unit, said that the Chinese headquarters worked diligently to ensure a continuous supply of parts, thus "dispelling our Indian partners' worry about the impact of the epidemic."

"All work is proceeding as normal," Ding said.

"I think there is no problem on any rolling stock," Kumar said, adding that "as for this virus, there is no impact (on the project)."

It is widely believed that the COVID-19 epidemic is a stress test for China's resilience in the global supply chain. In the case of the Mumbai metro project, Kumar said, "I am 100 percent confident in the supply of trains from CRRC ZELC in China."

Overseas projects are "an important part of the company's strategic development" and a production priority, Liu said.

Liu said other projects in Mexico, the Philippines, Malaysia, North Macedonia and the Czech republic have resumed operations.

CONTROL MEASURES

As the virus has spread to more countries, CRRC ZELC has stepped up its precautionary measures both at its headquarters and overseas project sites. Visitors to the Mumbai metro site are required to write down their names, department, and indicate whether they have recently traveled to a virus-hit country.

Posters are hung on the office wall to elaborate on the virus' transmission route, symptoms, and preventive measures.

"Health is important to us," Kumar said. "Wash your hand, keep clean and be good."

Back in Zhuzhou in Hunan, whose neighboring province Hubei is the epicenter of the outbreak in China, the company's headquarters also ramped up efforts to protect its engineers and workers.

The measures including multiple temperature tests, disinfection of workshops and locker rooms, temporary isolation sites and timely treatment of employees with fever and cough symptoms, said Zhou Xiaomin, deputy head of the company's production security department.

The production of locomotives, subways, bullet trains and other projects has basically resumed, Zhou added.

In a joint letter to overseas employees, the company's Board Chairman Zhou Qinghe and President Fu Chengjun said, "Confronted by the epidemic, maintain your work with perseverance, fulfill your duty to push forward the development of local rail transportation and share CRRC ZELC's wisdom and solutions with the world ... We are proud of you and your contributions."

"Today, countries and people all over the world are sharing weal and woe, and standing shoulder to shoulder to fight the epidemic. We believe victory will come soon," it added.

Posted in: ECONOMY

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