Member Article

Carillion Rail & SPL Powerlines announces partnership

Carillion Rail has invested in new training facilities at its Crewe operation as part of a new Cooperation Agreement with Austrian electrically-powered transport systems specialist, SPL Powerlines Group.

The agreement will strengthen Carillion’s existing capabilities in the rail sector, particularly around electrification and overhead line (OHL) projects. The partnership has been formed to increase capacity and expertise ahead of Network Rail’s £2billion investment in a major electrification expansion of the UK rail network.

Carillion Rail, part of infrastructure and support services provider Carillion plc, is among a group of tier 1 suppliers on a framework panel bidding to help deliver the programme and through this agreement SPL Powerlines’ large team of experienced UK linemen will work alongside Carillion colleagues. The agreement creates a joint workforce of around 1,000.

Significantly, the partnership will also address the substantial skills challenges facing the sector. It has been estimated that, by 2016, the sector will need upwards of 2,000 skilled linemen, which is 10 times the current capacity.

Carillion Rail has recently completed a purpose-built indoor OHL training operation at its centre in Gresty Road, Crewe, which operates alongside its existing facilities in Milton Keynes and Glasgow, while SPL Powerlines UK Ltd has made a significant investment in its facilities in Doncaster, South Yorkshire and Glasgow, which includes industry-standard training facilities, which replicates OHL installation and maintenance operations.

Mark Davies, Managing Director for Carillion Rail, said: “This is an exciting time for Carillion Rail and we are delighted to be in partnership with SPL Powerlines. The scale of Network Rail’s electrification expansion is transformational.

“We have already secured early enabling work on the high profile Glasgow to Edinburgh Improvement Programme and our agreement with SPL Powerlines strengthens further our leading role in this market.

“SPL Powerlines is an established niche player for OHL work and has a track record second to none across central and Northern Europe. It is an ideal partnership for us.”

He added: “The success of our year-round OHL training facility is also significant for us as a centre of excellence - not just for our own engineers, but for engineers from across the rail industry as a whole.

Mr Gerhard Ehringer, CEO SPL Powerlines Group, said: “Our Cooperation Agreement with Carillion is a significant milestone for both companies and for the electrification market within the UK. As a Group and in conjunction with Carillion, we are committed to investing in resources, training of new staff and new plant for the UK market, and believe the shared objectives agreed in the Cooperation Agreement will benefit not just the two companies, but the greater electrification market place.”

“We have already invested heavily in the UK with the creation of a new state of the art facility in Doncaster, for storage, fabrication and plant servicing. The new facility has a 30 m outdoor training span and test track, which coupled with our existing training spans at Old Dalby and Coatbridge, enables the whole of the UK to be serviced effectively.”

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