Turkey’s railway network is on the cusp of transformation, and at the heart of this evolution is the Bandırma-Bursa-Yenişehir-Osmaneli Higher-Speed Rail Project. Spanning 201 km, this high-standard railway will significantly enhance connections between Istanbul, Bursa, and Ankara, reducing travel time between Istanbul and Bursa to just 1 hour and 15 minutes. With an anticipated capacity of 30 million passengers and 59 million tonnes of cargo per year, the project is a critical step in Turkey’s infrastructure modernisation.
As the lead contractor responsible for both the infrastructure and superstructure, Kalyon Holding is executing a highly complex turnkey project that includes tunnels, viaducts, bridges, ground improvements, electromechanical catenary systems, and track works. To ensure seamless execution, the company has strategically aligned itself with trusted suppliers, notably Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) and its Turkish dealer, Ascendum Makina.
Building on experience
Leading Kalyon’s machinery operations on the Bursa High-Speed Rail project is Miraç Serdar, the company’s machinery equipment manager. With an extensive background in mechanical engineering, Serdar emphasizes the importance of selecting machines tailored for the job at hand.
“We prioritise purpose-built machines from globally recognised brands,” Serdar says. “Through our partnership with Volvo CE, facilitated by Ascendum Makina, we have deployed more than 60 Volvo machines – including wheeled excavators, crawler excavators, and wheel loaders – to our sites. These machines play a pivotal role in ensuring high productivity and operational efficiency.”
Simply acquiring high-performance machinery is not enough, however. Maximising uptime and keeping operations running at peak efficiency require a robust aftersales support system. That’s why Kalyon Holding wasted no time in signing an aftersales service agreement with Ascendum Makina.
Nihat Tekin, telematic systems engineer at Ascendum Makina and Miraç Serdar, machinery equipment manager at Kalyon.
The role of CSAs
To mitigate the risk of unexpected breakdowns, Kalyon Holding benefits from a comprehensive Customer Support Agreement (CSA) with Volvo CE and Ascendum Makina. A key component of this agreement is predictive maintenance, driven by cutting-edge telematics solutions such as ActiveCare and MATRIS reports.
“Under the CSA, Ascendum regularly collects and analyses oil samples to assess component wear,” Serdar explains. “This proactive approach allows us to detect potential issues before they escalate, ensuring that machines remain in optimal working condition.”
Additionally, Kalyon Holding receives detailed MATRIS reports, which provide valuable insights into fuel consumption, machine utilisation, idle time, and operator behaviour. These analytics not only improve efficiency but also result in significant cost savings.
“With real-time data tracking, we can measure how effectively operators are using the machines,” Serdar says. “Fuel savings are a major financial advantage for our project, and the ability to monitor operator performance helps us implement targeted training programmes for further efficiency gains.”
Keeping the wheels turning
In large-scale infrastructure projects like this, time is money. Any downtime can have a cascading effect on the overall timeline, making quick response times essential – and Ascendum Makina is playing a crucial role in minimising disruptions through its responsive service network and expert technicians.
“Regardless of conditions, our priority is to ensure that operations progress smoothly,” says Nihat Tekin, telematic systems engineer at Ascendum Makina. “ActiveCare alerts our nearest service engineers the moment a technical issue arises, enabling them to intervene immediately and prevent costly delays.”
By integrating ActiveCare with Volvo’s high-tech maintenance solutions, Ascendum delivers a comprehensive preventative maintenance package that extends the lifespan of machinery while maintaining peak performance levels.
Volvo excavators and Volvo trucks working hand in hand.
A partnership that drives success
For Kalyon Holding, Volvo CE and Ascendum Makina are more than just suppliers – they are trusted solution partners. The seamless coordination between these three entities ensures that construction progresses efficiently, keeping the ambitious Bandırma-Bursa-Yenişehir-Osmaneli railway project on track.
“Our collaboration with Ascendum and Volvo CE is built on reliability and a shared commitment to efficiency,” Serdar concludes. “By leveraging advanced machine monitoring, predictive maintenance, and expert support, we can focus on delivering a high-quality railway system that will serve Turkey for decades to come.”
As Turkey accelerates its railway infrastructure development, strategic partnerships like this exemplify how modern construction practices, backed by state-of-the-art equipment and proactive service agreements, are shaping the future of transportation. With every tunnel excavated and every bridge built, Kalyon Holding, Volvo CE, and Ascendum Makina are quite literally laying the groundwork for a faster, more connected Turkey.
