photo: Archives/TZV Gredelj building
Tatravagonka wants to retain existing employees, offer another 300 jobs, invest 45 million euros and restart production of freight rail cars. The entire operation is currently under the control of the insolvency administrator.
Tatravagonka would like to build on previous production in the TZV Gredelj complex. This means that all activities that were the basis of the wagon's operation in the past should be renewed and further developed. Tatravagonka wants to focus on freight and passenger cars powered by electric and diesel engines. Locomotive repairs are also planned.
Due to the size of the production premises and the current number of employees, neither all capacities not full potential were used. Therefore, for the further development of production, it is necessary not only to retain existing employees, but also to recruit another people.
The whole operation is currently under the supervision of the bankruptcy trustee and also the competent court. A creditor settlement plan is being prepared and the methods of its implementation are being addressed. The amount of EUR 45 million is earmarked for this and Tatravagonka had to set aside another million euros as a guarantee. However, there is a large number of creditors, which complicates the situation.
TŽV Gredelj declared bankruptcy already in 2012. It was due to a decrease in orders from Chorvatské železnice (Croatian railways) and other clients. However, despite the bankruptcy, the workshop continued in its production. Tatravagonka submitted the only valid bid for the tender for an investment in TŽV Gredelj, amounting to EUR 45 million.
There was originally one more offer in the game, from the Croatian company Dok-ing from Zagreb. However, its offer was not only 10 million euros lower, but at the same time the company did not provide all the necessary tender documentation. Therefore, its offer was marked as invalid. Swiss Stadler was also interested, but the company itself withdrew on the grounds that it could not submit a legally binding offer.
Slovakian Tatravagonka is a leader in the production of railway wagons on the European market. It has subsidiaries in a number of other states. For example, Germany, Poland, Serbia, but also the Czech Republic or India. TŽV Gredelj workshop can provide Tatravagonka with all the resources to implement other plans and projects.