HARRISBURG, Pa., July 20, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Worldwide industrial services and products company Harsco Corporation (NYSE:HSC) announced today that its Harsco Track Technologies (HTT) railway track maintenance division has received a new order from Australia's Queensland Rail for the Stoneblower, HTT's unique, advanced technology track surfacing machine used to restore mainline railway track. Terms were not disclosed.
A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=503
The order continues the international railway industry's growing support for the proven Stoneblower technology as an alternative to traditional tamping and track renewal methods for restoring railway track's vertical and lateral alignment. HTT's Stoneblower pneumatically injects ballast stone under the railway ties or "sleepers" to achieve track positioning to an accuracy of one millimeter, without disturbing the pre-existing ballast foundation. The result is a smooth track surface immediately available for unrestricted line speeds.
"Stoneblower is being increasingly recognized as a preferred method to provide more track time for trains, and less time for track maintenance," said HTT division president Robert Newman. "Because Stoneblower can be used as an alternative to track renewal, a new market is being created by this revolutionary technology," he continued. The fully-contained, self-propelled unit is the culmination of a substantial research and development program led by Harsco Track Technologies in cooperation with the U.K.'s Railtrack plc (now Network Rail).
The Stoneblowing experience of Network Rail is believed to have been a key factor in Queensland Rail's procurement decision, which it made after extensive investigation of the Stoneblower's technology and performance results. Network Rail has now surfaced over 8,000 miles (13,000km) of track using HTT Stoneblowers and reports track durability three to four times better than traditionally tamped track, as proven after the passage of thousands of trains over Stoneblower-maintained track. "The more train traffic increases, the greater the benefits of Stoneblower maintenance," said Newman.
In evidence of its growing support for HTT's Stoneblower technology, Network Rail last year ordered an additional seven units from Harsco, increasing its Stoneblower fleet to 20 machines, while the Stoneblower has also been ordered by China's Ministry of Railways as it invests in the latest technology to upgrade its national rail system. Both orders were previously announced by Harsco. Delivery of this latest unit to Queensland Rail is anticipated in late 2005, with manufacturing shared between HTT's Michigan and Australian facilities. Queensland Rail is Australia's leading provider of rail services, operating the country's largest rail network at close to 6,000 miles of track (over 9,500km).
Harsco Corporation is a diversified, worldwide industrial services and engineered products company with annual sales in excess of $2 billion. The company employs approximately 17,500 people in more than 40 countries of operation. Harsco's market-leading businesses provide mill services, access services, gas containment and control technologies, and engineered products and services to customers worldwide. The company's Harsco Track Technologies division serves as a leading global source for over 140 types and models of work equipment and services used in the maintenance, renewal, and new construction of railway track. Additional information about Harsco, including its Harsco Track Technologies division, can be found at www.harsco.com.
The Harsco Corporation logo is available at: http://media.primezone.com/prs/single/?pkgid=361