An Interview with Thomas Milewski

The North Rhine-Westphalian (NRW) railway technology association, Bahntechnik NRW e. V., pools innovation potential. In an interview with tram.news, Thomas Milewski, Chairman of Bahntechnik NRW e.V. talks about the association’s members, objectives and activities.

Thomas Milewski, Chairman of Bahntechnik NRW e.V., was born in 1964 in Oberhausen and he grew up there. After training as an electronics technician for energy systems at the Deutsche Bundesbahn, he successfully completed studies in electrical and mechanical engineering at Duisburg’s GH University. After various activities in the railway industry, he is now Manag-ing Director of SBRS GmbH, one of the management companies of Schaltbau AG. He is also a member of the Presidium of the German Railway Industry Association (VDB e.V.).

tram.news: When was the association founded and why?
Thomas Milewski: In 1998, under the then NRW Minister of Economic Affairs, Wolfgang Clement, the policy was to promote medium-sized industry, including railway technology, which is very important in North Rhine-Westphalia. In the course of this trend, NRW Bahntechnik e.V. was founded. This association unites medium-sized companies which develop and produce vehicle components, infrastructure and control technology for the railway industry, or offer services in this field.

tram.news: What are the association’s goals?
Milewski: The association aims to support and expand the significant economic power of medium-sized companies. The primary means of achieving this are intensive networking and public relations work. In addition, Bahntechnik NRW always seeks dialogue with science and politics.
       
tram.news: How many members does the association have and from which sectors?
Milewski: We have twelve member companies who all work actively in the association. All companies have a strong foothold in railway engineering, covering railways as well as light rail, tram and underground technology, and also products for trains and for infrastructure. All our member companies also have other fields of activity ranging from products for renewable energies, to springs for football stadiums, forges and castings, paints for the automotive industry and special products for roads / asphalt production. 

tram.news: Who can become a member?
Milewski: Companies with activities in the railway sector from and in NRW. Talking to our office or with us as a member company is always helpful.
The statutes and an application for membership can be downloaded from our homepage https://www.bahntechnik-nrw.de/download.html .
    
tram.news: What does the association do? 
Milewski:  Bahntechnik NRW e.V. aims to promote the economic interests of its members, to maintain contact with the relevant authorities and other economic associations and thus to promote exchange of information and ideas. Activities include PR work and organising joint participation in trade fairs for members.

tram.news: How can I get information about the association?
Milewski: The easiest way is via our homepage: https://www.bahntechnik-nrw.de and our office in Gladbeck. Apart from myself as chairman, all colleagues can be contacted for information.

tram.news: Thank you very much for this interview, Mr Milewski.