TRF Ltd, a Tata enterprise, and Schade Lagertechnik GmbH on Thursday signed an agreement that allowed TRF the exclusive right to manufacture and market Schade's high capacity bulk material handling equipment in India.

The equipment to be produced by TRF at its Jamshedpur plant under the agreement will be of higher capacities than currently available versions and include stackers, portal scraper reclaimers, circular storage systems as well as wagon tipplers, which are used by industries such as steel, mining, power, ports, and cement.

Schade will provide TRF the know-how and key components for making yard equipment.

Earlier, TRF and Schade had worked together over the supply and installation of Asia's first and biggest radial stacker reclaimer at NTPC-SAIL Power Company's thermal power plant at Bhilai.

According to Mr Karl-Heinz Fiegenbaum, Managing Director, Schade said that: “We have been looking out for joining hands with an Indian equipment manufacturer serving the local bulk materials handling sector”.

Greater presence

The new arrangement will lend TRF, which acquired Hewitt Robins Fraser Ltd of the UK, greater grip in the domestic and European markets. TRF's subsidiary, York Transport Equipment (Asia) Pte Ltd, Singapore, is engaged in the business of production and distribution of trailer under-gears, with presence in 27 countries.

York Transport Equipment (Asia) Pte Ltd has four manufacturing facilities world-wide, including one in India. TRF also acquired the Dutch Lanka Trailer (DLT) Manufacturers Limited, a trailer manufacturing company having manufacturing facilities in Sri Lanka, Oman and India. It exports trailers to 30 countries.

jayanta_mallick@thehindu.co.in