InnoTrans, the world’s leading trade fair for railway technology, components, machines and innovative solutions, starts on Tuesday, 20 September at the Messe Berlin exhibition center. This is the 13th edition and is taking place after a four-year hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic. As always, DAKO-CZ, a leading manufacturer of brake systems and components for rolling stock, will be represented among the exhibitors in the railway technology section. Two new products will make their world premiere at the fair: the lightweight DAKO ITBL jaw type brake for freight vehicles, and the groundbreaking DAKO KKBE electromechanical disc brake unit.
The lightweight jaw type brake for freight vehicles combines simplicity and robustness in a compact design. In its development the company applied several innovative solutions. At the same time, an absolutely unique solution – DAKO KKBE the electromechanical disc brake unit will be presented for the first time in Berlin. It easily outperforms the established technical solutions and surpasses the parameters of other manufacturers’ available solutions.
In addition to these two world premieres, DAKO-CZ will present its products in the pneumatic, hydraulic and electromechanical brake systems sections. Solutions by DAKO-CZ will also be part of the exhibits of the company’s clients, such as Siemens Mobility and the Croatian freight wagon manufacturer Đuro Đaković .
“We perceive the InnoTrans fair as the most important event where we can present our products and solutions to our clients, experts, and the general public. That is why we have placed our faith in presenting a cross-section of our production at our stand”, says Lukáš Andrýsek, Chairman of the Board of DAKO-CZ, who adds: “However, I must highlight one product that we consider essential. It is the DAKO KKBE electromechanical disc brake unit which is part of our DAKO Brake by Wire concept”.
The DAKO KKBE brake unit is part of the ‘air-free and oil-free’ product line which does not need compressed air or oil management for stopping trains. It is designed for complete trainsets of suburban units and metro carriages. However, it can also be used in modern passenger and freight carriage designs: the KKBE electromechanical brake unit is fully controlled by the DAKO iRB brake control and is compatible with all commonly used rail vehicle control systems.
“Without doubt, we perceive electromechanical brake systems as the future. They represent a railway system revolution. In the future, they will gradually replace both pneumatic and hydraulic brake systems. Thus the motto of this year’s InnoTrans is: The future of mobility in a time of climate change, our DAKO KKBE solution constitutes DAKO-CZ’s contribution to these goals thanks to its environmental friendliness”, adds Lukáš Andrýsek.
Among other products that DAKO-CZ will exhibit at InnoTrans is, for example, the KKBB disc brake unit for a wheel, adapted for application on a Siemens VECTRON locomotive, the control panel for London Underground trains including the enclosure, which is the result of cooperation with Siemens and will be deployed on new trains on the Piccadilly line of the London Underground. At the DAKO-CZ stand No. 450 in Hall 1.2 of the Berlin Messe, the field-proven electromechanical control unit for trams, for example, will also be presented. A modified version without a slack adjuster will be introduced, opening up the possibility of applying the main benefits of the Brake by Wire concept to cost-sensitive projects. The iRB 05.1 electromechanical brake control unit and the hydraulic brake control unit as well as other products will also be on display.
“We believe that our exhibition will attract visitors from both the professional and general technical public. It will be an excellent place to make new contacts. Another very important thing for us is to demonstrate the cooperation in the Indian market where DAKO-CZ has established a joint venture with a key player in that market, our partner Medha Servo Drives Pvt. Ltd., called MEDHA DAKO-CZ Pvt. Ltd. Our cooperation focuses on supplying complete and modern brake systems for the newly-prepared EMU, METRA and locomotives for the Indian Railways”, says Jana Kavalír, DAKO-CZ marketing manager.
InnoTrans, the world’s leading trade fair, is held every two years, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, this time exhibitors are meeting up after a four year gap. This year’s 13th edition of the fair takes place from 20 to 23 September. The event always elicits enormous interest from both exhibitors and visitors. This year, nearly 3,000 industry representatives from almost 60 countries will be present at the Berlin Messe exhibition center. Visitors to the fair will have the opportunity to see global technology in five sections – railway technology, railway infrastructure, public transport, carriage and station interiors, and tunnel construction.
O DAKO-CZ, a.s.
DAKO-CZ is a leading manufacturer of pneumatic, electromechanical and hydraulic brake systems for rail vehicles and has a tradition of more than 206 years. The company, with annual sales of around EUR 82 million, 79% of which is accounted for by foreign orders, is based in Třemošnice in Eastern Bohemia in the Czech Republic. The company is owned by the Czechoslovak Group belonging to the Czech businessman Michal Strnad.
DAKO-CZ supplies brake systems and components for freight and passenger carriages, commuter trains, locomotives, subway cars and trams. In addition to the Stadler Rail Group, Tatravagónka Poprad and Siemens Mobility, important clients who purchase DAKO-CZ products include Škoda Transportation a.s. and České Dráhy (Czech Railways). Rolling stock using DAKO brake systems and components operates not only in Europe, but also in China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Algeria and Saudi Arabia, where the company cooperates with global rolling stock manufacturers and rail transport operators. It has its own development department, a modern testing laboratory and a design workplace. In addition to the development and production of brake systems and components, DAKO-CZ is also dedicated to their subsequent servicing.
In 2020, DAKO-CZ opened a new service center at its premises. Due to the large number of orders, the company expanded its production hall in 2020 and fully upgraded the logistics, which resulted in a significant increase in production capacity. In 2020, DAKO-CZ started delivering to a new customer, the Spanish company TALGO, namely for its sets destined for Egypt. Other orders went for example to Poland, Slovenia, Austria and India. In 2020, DAKO-CZ came second in the Company of the Year competition of the Pardubice Region and in 2021 came first. In 2022, it received the prestigious Czech Superbrands award.