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Construction of Belarusian-Swiss train plant kicks off in Minsk region

Top government officials flocked to the town of Fanipal, Minsk region, on Thursday to attend a ceremony marking the start of the construction of a Belarusian-Swiss plant to manufacture trains and urban electric passenger vehicles.

The plant is to be built by Belarus’ AAT Belkamunmash and Switzerland’s Stadler Rail AG.

Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich announced that the first unit of the plant would be put into operation at the end of 2013 and the first vehicle would roll off the plant's assembly line in 2014.

He described the start of the construction project as a "landmark" event that opened a "new page in the development of our economy."

The prime minister said that the enterprise would be a high-technology plant. "We know well that the best railroad engines have always been purchased in Western Europe and now they will be made in the Belarusian land," he said.

Stadler Rail owner Peter Spuhler said that the facility would become the 15th plant manufacturing Stadler vehicles.

Stadler Rail has an annual turnover of 2.3 billion Swiss francs ($2.5 billion) and employs almost 5,000 personnel, according to the executive.

Mr. Spuhler said that the Swiss company had already supplied 10 electric trains to Belarusian Railroads and was expected to deliver more trains to the country before the 2014 world hockey championship in Minsk. //BelaPAN