Ukrainian Industrial Company Interpipe is actively expanding its presence in the European railway products market. While the European freight wheel market is already a core business for the company, its next ambitious step is to enter the passenger wheel segment. This was announced by Oleksandr Harkavyi, Director of Interpipe’s Railway Products Division, during the Exporters’ Summit 2025.
According to Harkavyi, Interpipe supplies railway products to all European countries, with two out of three freight wagons in the EU currently fitted with Ukrainian-made wheels.
As part of its development strategy through 2032, Interpipe plans to aggressively enter the passenger wheel segment, which is significantly more complex and technologically advanced than freight wheels.
“Each passenger train has a unique wheel design, and every national railway operator in Europe applies its own standards on top of EU-wide regulations. Additionally, certification with global train manufacturers such as Siemens, Alstom, and Stadler is a complex and lengthy process,” Harkavyi explained.
However, Interpipe has a major competitive advantage. The company already has experience supplying passenger wheels for Deutsche Bahn’s high-speed trains.
Moreover, Interpipe owns its own steel production facilities, allowing it to maintain strict quality control. The company also leads competitors in reducing CO2 emissions and its carbon footprint, making its products even more attractive to European customers.
“Developing wheels for a specific passenger train requires strong technical expertise and more qualified engineers. We are ready to take on this challenge with optimism,” emphasized Harkavyi.
Interpipe is a Ukrainian industrial company specializing in steel pipe and railway product manufacturing. Its products are supplied to over 50 countries worldwide through a network of sales offices in key markets across the Middle East, North America, and Europe.
In 2023, Interpipe sold 387,000 tons of pipe products and 95,000 tons of railway products under the KLW brand. The company operates five major production facilities: Interpipe Nizhnodniprovsky Tube Rolling Plant (NTZ), Interpipe Novomoskovsk Pipe Plant (NMTZ), Interpipe Niko-Tube, Dnipropetrovsk Vtormet, and the Dniprostal electric steelmaking complex under the Interpipe Steel brand.
Interpipe employs approximately 9,500 people. The company is ultimately owned by Ukrainian businessman and philanthropist Viktor Pinchuk and his family.
