French rail companies go full steam ahead to InnoTrans

The biennial trade show is a key international event for the rail sector. The Northern France Rail cluster, which represents about 40% of the French railway construction and manufacturing sector, will be taking part. Its companies and research organisations will be showcasing their products, services and innovations on a 360 m² stand.

Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardie, which are located at the geographic and economic heart of Europe, constitute an important region for the rail sector, benefiting from industry know-how and a reputation for research and development. The Northern France Rail Cluster comprises multidisciplinary teams which work in cooperation with several European countries, and has extensive testing means in the field of surface transport. For example, the only French rail-testing facility that can test equipment in the field is situated in this region.

The Northern France Rail Cluster includes over 150 companies and organisations from Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardie, which employ 13,000 workers. Bringing together the resources of a competitiveness cluster (i-Trans), a strong network of companies (AIF), as well as a rail-testing centre and R&D laboratories, Northern France Rail generates and speeds up innovations.

The i-Trans cluster brings together manufacturers, R&D laboratories and training centres, in order to support collaborative and innovative projects which meet the demands of competitive and environmentally friendly transport. In order to promote innovation among Northern France Rail Cluster’s members, test platforms for rolling stock, infrastructures, electrical-current collection and energy storage have been developed. This, in turn, provides the European rail sector's scientific and industrial community with unique tools to validate ideas and models, to test solutions and to speed up market launches.

The exhibitors at the Northern France stand cover a wide range of rail-sector activities: AIF is the Regional Association of the Railway Industry; NFX is a publicly funded development agency for Northern France; Certifer is a railway certifying agency; finally, I-Trans is a competitiveness cluster located in the north of France.

On the manufacturing and design side, Borlex Cafac Bajolet is a rubber and polyurethane manufacturer, and Devismes focuses on the design and manufacturing of locks. Cimes is a design and engineering firm which specialises in digital simulation, while Inforges offers die-stamping, machining and assembly (brass, copper and aluminium). For its part, Sculfort handles the design and installation of wheel-profiling machines for railway maintenance. As for Stratiforme, it is a manufacturer of composite parts.

Trioplast manufactures train parcel shelves, partitions and waste bins, and Stratime Composites Systèmes handles the study and manufacturing of composite metal parts. Dufot manufactures non-woven industrial fabrics, while Sogema offers equipment for railway workshops. Somepic Technologie, for its part, handles precision mechanical machining. Stratime Composites handles the study and manufacturing of composite metal part, and Techni Metal Systemes manufactures special handling equipment for railways and tunnels. As for Amesco, it is a specialist in the design and production of impeller wear rings.

Exhibitors will come from across the railway sector. Banc National d’Epreuve focuses on impact strength tests on materials, while Deny Fontaine offers access-control solutions. Deprecq handles fine sheet-metal work, with GSDI dealing with film supply and fitting. IDMS produces passenger information systems, while Sopaval is an environmental test laboratory. For their part, Technifrance specialises in engineering services, and Visionor focuses on remote-display technology.

There will also be a number of foundries exhibiting: Davergne Fonderie is an aluminium-bronze foundry, while Société Industrielle des Fontes is a cast-iron foundry.

About the Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picadie regions of Northern France

Situated in the north of the country and bordering Belgium, Nord-Pas-de-Calais is one of the 22 regions of mainland France. The region has benefited from recent and sustained investment in the rail sector. Nord-Pas-de-Calais is home to a number of small and medium-size businesses involved in the railway industry, including manufacturers, suppliers and contractors.

Picardie is situated at an important intersection for European trade, just north of the Ile-de-France region (i.e. Paris and its region).

For more information on Nord-Pas-de-Calais, please go to:
www.cci-international.net
For more information on Picardie, please go to:
www.arex-picardie.net
InnoTrans takes place in Berlin (Germany) from 21 to 24 September 2010.
The Nord-Pas-de-Calais Picardie companies will be on a 360m² stand in hall 3.2 / booth 210.