In November 1995, the company's predecessor, Guangzhou Siji Industrial Co., Ltd., was established. From the outset, it pioneered the shift to flameless cooking in railway dining cars, leading China's earliest modernisation projects for on‑board catering systems. With over 200 vehicles retrofitted, it set new safety standards for cooking equipment in the sector. The company also supplied core systems for the country's first electric kitchen car, firmly establishing its position as a pioneer and foundational player in the railway catering equipment industry.
In June 2005, the company relocated its strategic base northward and founded Lurail Transportation Technology Co., Ltd., repositioning itself as a full‑life‑cycle R&D and service provider. That same year, it obtained qualifications for new‑build electric kitchen cars and official‑vehicle maintenance, and became actively involved in standardisation and volume supply. This marked its transition from a pure equipment manufacturer to a qualified, systemised supplier.
Between 2006 and 2010, the company made continuous investments in high‑end manufacturing equipment. It established a dedicated electrical laboratory and successively introduced core machinery – CNC punch presses, bending machines, and laser cutters – from leading brands such as Murata, AMADA, and Bystronic. This built a solid foundation in precision sheet‑metal fabrication. During this period, cross‑industry collaborations with companies like Himin Solar and Maersk enabled the company to validate its technologies in new application domains, thereby expanding the boundaries of its manufacturing capabilities.
In 2011, the company ranked among the top suppliers in orders for new builds, overhauls, and retrofits from major railway bureaus and OEMs – including those under the CRRC Group (China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation), such as CRRC Sifang, CRRC Changchun, CRRC Tangshan, and CRRC Nanjing Puzhen. This consolidated its leadership in the railway kitchen equipment supply market. That year also saw the completion of a full‑car retrofitting project for official railway vehicles, showcasing its ability to deliver integrated system solutions.
The period from 2013 to 2016 was critical as the company grew alongside China's high‑speed rail expansion. It supplied kitchen systems for landmark projects, including the first official‑use Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) (E31), the Changchun CRH5/CRH380 EMUs, and the 250 km/h project for Sifang (E39). This extended its coverage from conventional carriages to high‑speed train catering systems. Concurrently, the company actively participated in both domestic and international rail transit projects, advancing high‑end R&D and building a global market presence.
Domestically, its technology covered everything from combined dining‑seating cars to next‑generation EMUs. In 2016, it took the lead in developing the KDZ6 intelligent kitchen system for the 350 km/h Fuxing standard EMU, secured the relevant qualifications, and won the first production order – achieving technological leadership in the sector. This mature technology was later adapted for the 160 km/h long‑formation Fuxing, demonstrating platform‑based modular scalability.
On the international front, the company also supplied components for projects such as the Russian high‑speed railway, proving the competitiveness and adaptability of its technological system in global markets. By the end of this stage, it had additionally obtained Level‑3 and Level‑4 maintenance qualifications for Changchun EMUs, further extending its service chain.
During 2017–2018, while consolidating its core rail transit business, the company began diversifying its technology applications. It successfully adapted its thermal engineering expertise to produce cryogenic plates for medical pathology laboratories, securing cooperation agreements and orders through precise product demonstrations and tailored solutions.
In the EMU field, it custom‑developed integrated fume purification units for the E51 official dining car and optimised the multifunctional steam ovens, solving the challenges of stable cooking and exhaust extraction at high speeds. This resulted in a well‑adapted closed‑loop kitchen system with significant performance improvements, demonstrating the company's end‑to‑end innovation capability – from scenario analysis to customised solution delivery.
From 2019 to 2022, the company entered a phase of high‑volume delivery and intelligent upgrades. It completed nearly 300 vehicles across major projects, including the 160 km/h long‑formation Fuxing, the Beijing–Zhangjiakou Olympic smart EMU, the high‑cold standard EMU, crew power cars, Type 25B escort cars, and track inspection cars.
At the same time, it broadened its strategic vision into new energy and patent incubation. It launched the Sungrow hydrogen energy storage equipment project and secured multiple utility‑model patents addressing key operational pain points in train kitchens – such as oil fume purification, residue collection, and meal temperature retention – steadily enriching its intellectual property portfolio.
In September 2023, the company obtained ISO 50001 (Energy Management) and two other system certifications, confirming that its operations in energy conservation, environmental protection, and occupational health meet international standards. This marked the beginning of a new era of green, systemised development.
During 2024–2025, the company continued to drive innovation and was granted multiple patents, including one for a “mobile active temperature‑controlled logistics device,” extending its application scope from on‑board kitchens to mobile cold‑chain solutions. Building on this, it officially obtained qualified supplier status from the CRRC Group, completing its transformation from a single‑equipment supplier to a comprehensive solution provider with end‑to‑end capabilities covering R&D, manufacturing, maintenance, core components, and intelligent systems. This positioned the company for strong growth in the next strategic cycle.
In March 2026, seizing the opportunities arising from the AI computing boom and the data‑centre cooling revolution, the company formed a strategic partnership with a publicly listed enterprise, a domestic leader in liquid‑cooling technology. It secured the R&D and designated supply rights for key replenishment equipment used in immersion phase‑change liquid-cooling tanks, marking its entry into the fast-growing liquid-cooling infrastructure market.
The history of Lurail Transportation Technology Co., Ltd. is, at its core, a story of deep specialisation and technological evolution, closely aligned with the modernisation of China's rail transit equipment industry. Starting as an industry pioneer, the company built a solid manufacturing foundation through sustained investment in high‑end equipment, seized the opportunity of mass EMU production to gain market leadership, and continued to lead in the CR-Fuxing smart era through forward‑looking R&D. Ultimately, by diversifying its technology, systematising its management, and achieving top‑tier qualifications, it successfully transformed from a railway kitchen equipment expert into a comprehensive supplier serving both rail transit and mobile energy sectors. Throughout this journey, the central thread has always been its core competence in precision manufacturing and technological innovation – constantly extending the depth and breadth of their application.
