Interpipe enters the European passenger wheel market

Interpipe, a Ukrainian industrial company, is actively expanding its presence in the European railway products market. While the European market for freight wheels is already the company’s “home” market, the next ambitious step is to enter the passenger wheel segment. This was stated by Aleksandr Garkavyi, Director of the Railway Products Division, during the Exporters Summit 2025 organized by Forbes Ukraine.

According to Mr. Garkavy, the company supplies railway products to all European countries, and currently two out of three EU freight cars are equipped with wheels made in Ukraine. However, as part of its development strategy until 2032, Interpipe plans to actively enter the passenger wheel segment, which is much more complex and technologically advanced than the freight segment.

“Each passenger train has a unique wheel design, and each national railroad operator in Europe has its own standards that complement the European ones. In addition, certification by global railcar building corporations such as Siemens, Alstom and Stadler is a complex and lengthy process,” explained Mr. Garkavy.

However, Interpipe has a significant advantage. The company already has a successful track record of supplying passenger wheels for Deutsche Bahn’s high-speed trains. In addition, the company owns its own steel production, which allows it to control the quality of its products. In terms of reducing CO2 emissions and carbon footprint, the Ukrainian manufacturer is ahead of its competitors, which makes its products even more attractive to European customers.

“A wheel for a particular passenger train is the development of a separate product. This requires strong technical expertise and more qualified engineers. We are optimistic about this challenge,” emphasized the Director of Interpipe’s Railway Products Division.

As GMK Center reported earlier, in 2024, Interpipe sold more than 80 thousand tons of railway products on the European market, which is higher than in 2021. The railway division’s capacity is 100% utilized.