A leading international rail contractor, Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group, challenged Sika to replace a styrene-based railway sleeper repair system that created waste, handling difficulties, odor, and regulatory concerns. Any new solution had to cure rapidly in cold and wet conditions, withstand dynamic rail loads, and enable repairs within short maintenance windows. Extending asset life while reducing track closures has become increasingly important as rail networks face growing capacity demands and aging infrastructure.
Turning Rail Maintenance Challenges into Scalable Innovation
Working closely with Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group, Switzerland, Sika developed a solution tailored specifically to the realities of railway maintenance. Development teams went beyond laboratory testing, visiting active job sites to understand installation challenges, maintenance workflows, and operational constraints firsthand. Using an agile development process, new formulations were rapidly designed, tested, validated, and refined through multiple feedback cycles. Within less than six months, Sika developed a new acrylic resin technology specifically engineered for sleeper refurbishment applications. The result was Sika Icosit® KC 240/80 SLS, a high-performance repair solution that combines fast curing, reliable performance under extreme environmental conditions, and user-friendly cartridge-based application.
Field trials demonstrated successful curing in approximately 30 minutes under rain, snowfall, and temperatures around 0°C, while delivering equally reliable performance during summer conditions of around 30°C.
Enabling the Refurbishment of Damaged Fastening Screws
Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group's SLS® (Second Life System) system combines a specially developed resin with expansion inserts ("spaghetti") and an optimized repair process to restore damaged fastening screws in timber railway sleepers. Together, these components extend the service life of existing sleepers by up to five years, helping operators defer replacement costs, maximize asset value, and reduce maintenance expenditure. Sika Icosit® KC 240/80 SLS is one element of this system. The rapid-curing technology allows repairs to be completed within short maintenance windows, minimizing track closures, increasing network availability, and reducing operational disruptions.
For contractors, the cartridge-based system improves productivity, simplifies installation, and reduces material waste, while the styrene-free, low-toxicity formulation enhances worker safety and facilitates transportation, storage, and deployment across international markets. Extending the lifespan of existing assets reduces material consumption and avoids premature replacement while maintaining the highest standards of safety and reliability.
We highly value our strong partnership with Sika. Together, we developed and successfully implemented an effective solution, and we look forward to deepening our collaboration through another joint development project already in the pipeline." Matthias Heimhalt
Key Benefits
- Lower lifecycle costs: Extends timber sleeper service life by up to five years, reducing replacement frequency and maximizing return on infrastructure investments.
- Higher network availability: Fast curing enables repairs within short maintenance windows, minimizing track closures and operational disruptions.
- Increased contractor productivity: Simple cartridge application accelerates installation, reduces handling complexity, and improves workforce efficiency.
- Reduced material consumption: Precise dispensing minimizes waste and lowers material usage during repair operations.
- Enhanced worker safety and ergonomics: Eliminates strong styrene odors and reduces manual handling requirements, creating safer and more comfortable working conditions.
- Reliable performance under all conditions: Proven performance in cold, wet, and hot environments ensures consistent and dependable repairs.
- Easier global deployment: Low-toxicity, non-flammable technology simplifies transport, storage, and regulatory compliance across different markets.
- Supports sustainability targets: Promotes refurbishment over replacement, conserving resources and reducing the environmental footprint of rail maintenance.