China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC), the world's largest train builder, signed a $191 million contract with Malaysian authorities on March 11, promising to build 22 multiple units for the latter. The purchase marks the company's first successful attempt to localize its manufacturing and management in Malaysia, which signifies great progress for China's future rail exports, says a senior official.

According to CRRC's official announcement, the company will build 13 hybrid electric multiple units and nine meter-gauge multiple units for Malaysia by the end of 2018. The design work of the units will be conducted by China's Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co Ltd, while the trains will be manufactured in Malaysia.

"The multiple units are specially designed for Malaysia's transportation system. The hybrid electric multiple units will be equipped with CRRC's self-designed graphene-based supercapacitors, which can power multiple units with greater efficiency and for longer periods. The meter-gauge multiple units are designed for Malaysia's unique meter-gauge rail tracks," Xu Houguang, deputy director of the press office at CRRC headquarters in Beijing, told Thepaper.cn.

According to Xu, the unprecedented contract has realized the company's strategic goal of localizing its manufacturing and management in Malaysia. CRRC already has a Southeast Asia manufacturing center in Malaysia, and Chinese companies have supplied 75 to 80 percent of the locomotives, coaches and related equipment currently in use in Malaysia, according to Xinhua.