Over 140,000 freight railcars are in operation in Kazakhstan — this is the second-largest fleet in the “1520 Space” countries. A period of active renewal is approaching, and in light of this potential demand, TEXOL Group is creating a full-fledged railcar manufacturing cluster in Atyrau, the holding’s home region. This includes the development of its own engineering and testing centers, which will contribute to the maximum self-sufficiency of Kazakhstan’s railway engineering industry.
Founded in 1998, the TEXOL Group today comprises 20 companies specializing in various sectors related to the hydrocarbon industry and associated logistics services. The group is one of the largest private operators in Kazakhstan and operates a diversified fleet of more than 11,000 railcars. To ensure the efficient operation of its fleet, TEXOL Group also manages its own railcar repair facilities.
At the same time, TEXOL Group is one of the drivers of innovation across the entire “1520 Space.” For example, at the group’s request and with its direct involvement in the design process, unique articulated tank cars for LPG transport — with a total tank capacity of 163.1 m³ — were launched into serial production, and an articulated fitting platform with a lifting capacity of 122 tons was created, capable of transporting four 20-foot containers, two 40-foot containers, or a combination thereof. It is clear that with such a heavy workload in both transportation and engineering, the development of in-house railcar manufacturing capabilities was only a matter of time. As a result, the group is currently implementing a comprehensive development project for the Texol Industrial cluster in Atyrau.
Construction of the key asset — the Atyrau Railcar Plant (ARPP) — began in 2023. In the long term, the production facility’s area is expected to reach 62,000 m², and the ARPP will be able to produce up to 8,000 railcars annually.
The first railcars — 12-6785 open cars and 13-6792 fitting platforms — were produced at the ATC as early as the summer of 2024. They are equipped with 18-6786 bogies with an axle load of 23.5 tf, which were also designed in-house by ABCZ engineers. By the end of 2024, the rolling stock and bogies had been certified for serial production, and ABCZ received its manufacturer’s mark.
It is worth noting that production at AVSZ is being established not only to meet the needs of the TEXOL Group, but also to fulfill external orders. For instance, there are memorandums of understanding in place with other major operators in Central Asia — PTC Holding and Istkomtrans — and another Kazakhstani operator, OLJA JSC, is already purchasing rolling stock manufactured by ABCZ.
Today, active work is underway at ABCZ to launch the production of tanks for petroleum products and LPG. KazCTT’s in-house engineering center has designed new models of classic construction with improved performance characteristics. For example, the 15-3234 gas tanker, the first of its kind at “Prostranstvo 1520,” has a tank capacity exceeding 88 m³. Moreover, there are no restrictions on the types of LPG that can be transported, and the tanker will efficiently transport any LPG fractions and their mixtures. In turn, the model 15-3237 gasoline tanker of classic design, mounted on the company’s own model 18-6786 bogies with an axle load of 23.5 tf, is also the first in the CIS to have a tank volume exceeding 90 m³ and the highest, compared to its counterparts, load capacity of 70 tons — on average up to 4% more than its closest industry competitors.
The TEXOL Group sees strategic importance in establishing tank car production and ensures its maximum localization. Previously, tank cars — and certainly boilers — were not manufactured in Kazakhstan. The company expects to produce up to 300 units of such rolling stock as early as 2026.
Overall, ensuring a high degree of localization in the production of freight cars is a mission the group is pursuing in the development of the Texol Industrial cluster. Upon completion of the project, the holding company expects to achieve an overall localization rate of over 95%. Materials and components manufactured in Kazakhstan are already being used in the production of railcars. These are mainly bearings (EPK-Brenco, Stepnogorsk), springs, and wheel sets produced in-house.
To enhance the technological independence of the railway industry, a railcar and wheel workshop was also opened in Atyrau in the summer of 2025. This is the first facility of its kind in Western Kazakhstan to feature fully automated production. The established production capacity, which includes a rough axle machining shop, allows for the production of 10,000 SONK and NONK wheel sets for railcar repair and manufacturing. Moreover, in Atyrau, TEXOL Group itself is establishing a production facility for small and medium-sized castings, including buffers, buffer stops, drawbar clamps, axle box housings, and more. The primary raw materials — scrap metal and ferroalloys — will also be sourced from Kazakhstani suppliers.
The key to ensuring the self-sufficiency of the Texol Industrial cluster is the availability of its own engineering expertise. Since its founding, the TEXOL Group has always relied on its own engineering expertise when implementing infrastructure projects. The same approach is being implemented in the railcar manufacturing cluster in Atyrau, where a research and development center is being launched. TEXOL is consciously investing in the creation of a modern testing facility: a testing and certification center equipped with the latest American and European equipment. Kazakhstan’s first specialized test track for running tests is also being built, which will allow many industry players to certify rolling stock and components for compliance with EAEU technical regulations within Kazakhstan.
Source: rollingstockworld.ru
