HARRISBURG, Pa., Jan. 27, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Worldwide industrial services and products company Harsco Corporation (NYSE:HSC) announced today that its Harsco Track Technologies (HTT) rail services division has made its first-ever track maintenance equipment sale in Italy. Costruzioni Linee Ferroviarie, S.p.a. (CLF), one of Italy's leading contractors for railway construction and maintenance, has purchased an HTT-built New Track Construction (NTC) machine to augment its ongoing railway maintenance responsibilities throughout Italy. Terms were not disclosed.
The HTT New Track Construction machine is a self-contained, mobile track-laying train used to install and precisely align new railway track. The unit purchased by CLF recently completed a highly successful engagement in Northern Ireland in which Harsco Track Technologies furnished, maintained and operated the train to re-lay a major section of mainline passenger track on the Northern Ireland Railways system. That project has since led to a number of follow-on orders for new NTC machines from other customers, including a two-machine order announced late last year from Balfour Beatty, one of the U.K.'s largest service providers of railway track maintenance and renewals to the Network Rail System.
"We're hoping this first sale in Italy will also lead to follow-on business," said Robert Newman, Harsco Track Technologies division president. "One of the best selling tools we have is when our equipment is out on the rail lines doing its job."
Harsco Track Technologies is one of the largest and most comprehensive railroad track maintenance equipment and service organizations in the world. The division provides a full range of track maintenance services to major railroads, short lines and transit systems, and is a primary source for over 140 types and models of work equipment used in the maintenance, renewal, and new construction of railway track.
Harsco Corporation is a $2 billion, diversified industrial services and engineered products company employing approximately 17,500 people in more than 40 countries of operation. Harsco's market-leading businesses provide mill services, access services, gas and fluid control products, and other infrastructure products and services to customers worldwide. Additional information about Harsco, including its Harsco Track Technologies division, can be found at www.harsco.com.
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