Rail supplier news from Koppers, Railhead, Holland, Protran, Bombardier and Perpetuum (April 15)

Koppers Inc. has signed an agreement to acquire the wood preservation and railroad services businesses of Osmose Holdings Inc. for a base price of $460 million. Koppers plans to finance the purchase through new and existing bank debt, including a new term loan and an increase to the company's existing revolving credit facility. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter, according to a company press release.

Railhead Systems has begun shipping locomotive video systems to GE Transportation's factory in Eskisehir, Turkey, under a contract for new forward, interior and side-view locomotive video systems. The contract includes provisions for eventually adding cameras on the Turkish State Railway's entire fleet totaling over 800 systems.

Holland L.P. promoted Gerry Coyne to director of business development and engineering of the Railway Measurement Systems and Services division, where he will cultivate new products and services. Coyne has been Holland's maintenance-of-way business development manager for the Northeast region for 10 years. Also, Holland recently hired Barton Tabah as regional sales manager for eastern Canada. Barton has a diverse background in logistics and as a railroad services provider.

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority has chosen to install Protran Technology's advanced Protracker Roadway Worker Protection System, which is designed to give advance warning to workers and train operators, as well as advance warning of dangers regarding mobile assets and fixed assets. The system is expected to be completed and in operation this year, according to Protran.

The Nanjing manufacturing site of CSR Nanjing Puzhen Rolling Stock Co. Ltd. has rolled out the first vehicle manufactured under a technology license agreement between Bombardier Transportation and CSR Puzhen for 18 low-floor trams for the city of Suzhou, China. CSR Puzhen is building the trams based on Bombardier's Flexity 2 technology. Bombardier developed the vehicle design, provides training and delivers on-site support.

Justin Southcombe has joined Perpetuum as commercial director. He served 18 years at Alstom Transport, where he held senior roles in strategy, tenders and operations. As strategy director for the rolling stock services business, he launched the TrainTracer remote condition monitoring service and significantly expanded its associated research and development program, according to a press release. Last year, Southcombe tendered two national electrification contracts for ABC Electrification in the United Kingdom and a new product trial for London Underground.