Member Article

European rail manufacturer wants to build up North East supply chain

Exhibitors and attendees at the region’s biggest manufacturing expo are being given the opportunity to showcase their services to Stadler, one of Europe’s leading train manufacturers.

Liverpool-based Stadler Rail UK, part of the Swiss rail manufacturing group Stadler Rail, is this year’s EMCON headline sponsor.

The company decided to the take on the headline sponsorship role after exhibiting last year, with the aim of raising its profile within the North East.

Stadler has ambitious plans to secure more UK contracts, and the North East has been identified as one of its key markets. With this goal in mind, the firm is keen to meet potential supply companies at EMCON.

Elaine Greenwood is UK Light Rail representative for the company. She said: “Stadler Rail UK has ambitious plans to grow within the UK, and the North East is one of the region’s we are actively looking to target.

“To support that, it is essential that we get to know businesses large and small, who potentially, could become suppliers to us, as we gain traction in the region.

“Acting as the headline sponsor at EMCON is the perfect way to heighten our profile and meet the right people to work with in future.”

Stadler already has a considerable presence in the UK. Last year, it signed a contract with Merseytravel to both supply a fleet of 52 EMU trains, as well as to service and maintain trains for 35 years. In October 2017, it officially took on service and maintenance responsibilities, looking after the old trains till the new ones are introduced on to the Merseyrail network by 2020. The manufacture of 58 Stadler trains (38 BMUs and 20 EMUs) for the Greater Anglia network is now well underway, and testing is currently taking place at several sites in Europe. Trains will start operating by mid 2020, with all expected to be running within 12 months thereafter.

In a consortium with Ansaldo STS, Stadler is supplying 17 new trains for the Glasgow Subway. This is third oldest underground metropolitan network and the smallest-size underground system in the world. It will be the first time that Stadler’s rolling stock has been part of a driverless underground network.

Stadler’s locomotives of the class 68 and 88 are now well established in the UK. DRS deploys them for its freight business as well as for passenger haul operations within the Chiltern and Scotrail franchises. The class 68 locomotive will soon be introduced as part of the TPE franchise. In June, KeolisAmey named Stadler the preferred bidder to provide 71 trains for Wales & Borders, with an order of 36 three-car CITYLINK tram-trains and 35 FLIRTs. This fleet will boast high levels of comfort and rely on the latest battery power technology.

Although much of the train-building is done at the company’s headquarters in Bussnang in Switzerland, it also takes place at several other locations, including Hungary, Poland, Germany and Spain. Stadler employs 7,000 people globally, with sites in the United States, as well as in Europe. David Land is Chairman of County Durham Engineering and Manufacturing Network (CDEMN) which delivers the EMCON event. He said: “Stadler Rail UK has quite clear objectives; to raise its profile within the region and meet potential suppliers who will support its growth, so this is the perfect opportunities for companies attending EMCON to put themselves on the radar of the Stadler representatives in attendance and showcase their products and services.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Leanne English .