EMPLOYEES at the Knorr-Bremse Rail UK headquarters in Melksham are celebrating a significant production milestone.

They have just produced the company’s 50,000th Knorr-Bremse EP2002 Distributed Brake Control (DBC) valves manufactured there. The computerised system precisely controls the braking of trains by ‘thinking’ about the effort needed across the whole train.

The award-winning system was designed at the Melksham site, where Knorr-Bremse employs more than 100 engineers working on advanced rail systems. The specially engraved 50,000th EP2002 unit will now be on permanent display at the Knorr-Bremse Melksham facility as a tribute to the Wiltshire designers and builders of this outstanding UK export success.

Manufacture and testing of all of the 50,000 units produced so far have also been carried out at the site with the nearby Knorr-Bremse satellite facility at Corsham producing all the precision parts which are so vital in delivering the system’s outstanding performance and reliability.

The EP2002 system has been exported to some 160 countries around the world and also sold into the UK market. In 2016 record global sales were achieved and this year sales of the product are expected to set a new record.

Paul Goodhand, Managing Director of Knorr-Bremse Rail UK, said: “EP2002 is a huge export success story for us and we are proud to have reached this impressive 50,000 milestone in our manufacturing output of this innovative product

“My thanks and congratulations go to the teams at Melksham and Corsham who, by working together, produce this advanced system for our global customers with such care and dedication.”

EP2002 is fitted to all the new trains on the London Underground and on the metro systems as varied as Bangkok, Dubai and Manila. In China, a major export market, EP2002 is equipping trains in service in cities which include Beijing, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Shanghai, Shenyang, Shenzhen and Tianjin.

For train builders, EP2002 is easier to install and maintain and takes up less space. Being lighter than conventional systems, energy usage and environmental impact is reduced.

Knorr-Bremse Rail UK is part of the global Knorr-Bremse Group, a leading manufacturer of braking and on-board systems for rail and commercial road vehicles. Knorr-Bremse Rail UK offers connected systems and, under the RailServices banner, service and modernisation solutions which keep trains running safely and efficiently.

Knorr-Bremse Rail UK has over 1,200 employees working in six locations around the UK. The full range of Knorr-Bremse products and systems together with a comprehensive range of train service support are accessible to rail industry customers from these locations.