Chinese railway sleeper factory in Algeria begins production

ALGIERS, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- A new Chinese railway sleeper factory opened on Sunday in Algeria's western province of Tindouf, where it will play a central role in advancing the China Railway Construction Corporation's (CRCC) Western Algeria Railway Mining Line project.

This facility marks the start of track engineering for the 575-km heavy-haul railway, which will connect the Gara Djebilet iron ore mine in Tindouf to the province of Bechar.

According to Dong Lin, general manager of CRCC's North Africa Branch, the sleeper factory is the first standardized concrete railway sleeper factory set up by a Chinese firm in the region.

In its production process, CRCC implemented specialized sleeper designs aimed at improving track stability, enhancing durability, and reducing maintenance costs, Dong said.

At the inauguration ceremony of the company, Tindouf Governor Mustapha Dahou expressed his appreciation for CRCC's efforts and the cooperation of its local partners, underscoring their substantial contributions to the project.

For his part, CRCC International Group General Manager Xu Huaxiang affirmed CRCC's commitment to ensuring the project's completion on schedule and at a high quality, describing it as "a model for mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Algeria."

The Western Algeria Railway Mining Line, a significant project within the China-Algeria Belt and Road cooperation, is being jointly carried out by CRCC and Algeria's state-owned company COSIDER TP.