Sampyo Railway Accelerates Efforts to Conquer Global Railway Market

Surpassing Japan to Achieve 90% Market Share in Taiwan
Milestone of First Entry into India Based on Know-How and Technical Expertise

FBW machine exported by Sampyo Railway to India. [Photo by Sampyo Railway]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] Sampyo Railway, which contributed to enhancing the competitiveness of domestic railway technology by localizing high-speed turnouts that previously relied solely on overseas technology and components, and expanding the application of Precast Segment Track System (PSTS), is actively promoting the status of South Korea's railway industry through export expansion.

Sampyo Railway began its business by developing and producing 'turnouts,' devices that change the direction of a train from one track to another. In the early stages of the business, it built export records by supplying to various demand centers such as Egypt, Indonesia, and Colombia. Now, it has established itself as a diversified railway specialized company, not only producing railway track products but also developing and producing PSTS track systems, constructing railway track works, and maintaining tracks including rail grinding.

In 1997, it established the nation's first dedicated turnout production factory in Osong, Chungbuk, building an annual production system of about 1,000 turnout sets and continuously investing in new product development and technological research by establishing a corporate research institute for R&D within the factory. Based on accumulated technology and know-how, it has developed and provided turnouts that meet the requirements of demand centers in various countries, expanding its supply markets over the past 20 years to Taiwan, Iran, Brazil, Pakistan, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

In Taiwan, it achieved the remarkable feat of surpassing Japan, which had long dominated the market, by first supplying to the Taiwan East Railway Construction Bureau in 1998, and has now increased its market share to 90%. Last year, it won a purchase bid for 1,600 turnout sets (contract value approximately 90 billion KRW) for the turnout PC sleeper replacement project conducted by the Taiwan Railway Administration, delivering the first batch in May and planning to complete delivery by 2023.

Building on its success in the Taiwanese market, Sampyo Railway is promoting localization of production bases together with local partners in India, where market growth potential is high. In particular, in December last year, it delivered an FBW (Flash Butt Welding) machine to India, developed through collaboration with domestic manufacturers based on long-standing know-how and technological capabilities.

This equipment is specialized for welding manganese crossings and dissimilar rail materials required for turnout production, marking Sampyo Railway’s first export case of the FBW machine incorporating its proprietary technology. Sampyo Railway plans to deliver additional units of this equipment to India next year.

A Sampyo Railway official stated, "We are focusing on expanding product exports and pioneering new markets based on the vision of global leap by reviewing the markets and business environments of various countries overseas," adding, "We will do our best to become a more trusted global turnout specialist company."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.