Fast track to the main chance

Well, the UK versus non-UK purchase headline isn't that simple, while there are a number of other opportunities, both nationally and internationally, in which UK manufactures can participate. And an organisation has been established to help lead the effort – Rail Alliance (www.railalliance.co.uk). Headed up by Colin Flack, executive director, the organisation's head office is, appropriately enough, located in a control tower overlooking track upon track of rolling stock at the Long Marston, Warks railway storage/service facility. Operated by Motorail Logistics, it is the largest such facility in the UK and probably Europe, offers Mr Flack, who, at the rank of colonel, was, also appropriately, previously in charge of the British Army's railways. So what are the headline rail opportunities, then? Well, there's that £7.5 billion high speed Intercity Express Programme (IEP) contract, of course, and although the decision has been made to go for Japanese-made Hitachi technology, the Alliance's executive director highlights that British equipment makers already feature as suppliers to the same company's Javelin locomotives (Class 395, used on the Channel Tunnel line), and so are well placed to be involved in the IEP package. And, in similar vein to the Japanese car plants that have seen their national suppliers also set up in the UK, that may also prove to be a feature of this project as it unfolds, Mr Flack suggests – indeed, Hitachi is reported to have plans to establish a permanent manufacturing plant in Britain. Image: Colin Flack climbs aboard one of the many locomotives 'parked' at the Long Marston site. There is millions of rail-related expenditure planned over coming years, and UK companies can benefit, he says "In addition to IEP, over the next five years Network Rail is to spend £28.5 billion on infrastructure," he offers. Add to that the Thameslink Programme - a £5.5 billion investment in improved rail infrastructure and new rolling stock; Crossrail, a £16 billion programme; the Underground improvements for the 2012 Olympics, together with various metro/light railway projects. But, while focus might very well be on new spend, Mr Flack points up an opportunity that doesn't automatically spring to mind – refurbishment of existing rolling stock. "To a certain extent on the freight side, but certainly on the passenger side, there are opportunities. On the passenger side, travelling numbers are continuing to rise and will continue to do so over the long term. As those passenger numbers grow, the new rolling stock coming on stream will never keep pace – you've just got to do the maths." And with the growth in road traffic, freight rolling stock is also likely to see increased demand and requirement in this area, he adds. "The cost of refurbishment is going to be dramatically less than buying new, for which there won't be government money, anyway." Both Labour and Conservative parties are keen on rail investment, observes Mr Flack. NATIONAL SPREAD Launched just over 12 months ago, although in development before that, Rail Alliance started life as a West Midlands-focused activity, via the Manufacturing Advisory Service, but is now spreading its tentacles UK-wide, with SMEs very much its target. Its ideal membership, says its top man, is likely to be largely smaller companies that undertake a small amount of work for the rail sector or none at all, and who are unlikely to make significant in-roads in the sector without joining with other similar companies to build strength and depth. The Alliance is funded by regional development agency Advantage West Midlands to the tune of about £300,000 for three years (to the end of March next year), after which it is intended to be self-funding. "Our charter, fundamentally, is networking businesses together. The aim is to get firms to collaborate together and innovate. The Alliance is a verb, not an adjective – lobbying government and such like is not on the agenda," Mr Flack explains. Judged by its success in attracting companies, the organisation is hitting the spot. From zero just over 12 months ago, Rail Alliance now boasts some 1,200 member companies, with "more signing up every day", with interest remaining as the organisation switches to a subscription model, Mr Flack says. "Our membership now is 50-50 West Midlands and elsewhere, including international organisations." On the latter, he highlights current discussions with an equivalent German organisation in Saxony to link the initiatives. A two-way street, he acknowledges, since access to German markets by UK suppliers also means access to UK markets by German suppliers. "But you can't odds that, that's always going to happen. What we can do is help our members access German opportunities. Where a company doesn't have the size to do it on its own, we are helping them find partners. "We have already had success in helping a French company look for a UK distributor for its products that were a subset of what some of our members are offering. Companies are starting to talk to each other and see how they can help each other. Railways are a global business – the Hitachi train order highlights this very well. There has been a lot of furore about the UK's Bombardier missing out, but Bombardier is Canadian and had partnered with German company Siemens. In fact, Hitachi Train already uses British components in it Javelin trains (Channel Tunnel) and will do so for these new trains. We are working with members now that already have product on Javelin that know that similar parts will be used on IEP, so they are keen to make sure they are on the supplier list. Rail Alliance is acting as a large lobbying body into Hitachi Europe in London and saying: 'tell us what you need and we'll do the supply chain mapping for you'." Helpfully, it is reported by www.railnews.co.uk: "Hitachi Europe says it has already appointed 20 'tier one' suppliers in the UK, is now looking for further suppliers and will hold 'open days' later this year." Image: The new Javelins offer a higher speed journey than the current Eurotunnel trains (pictured). UK firms have already won work on the new trains, but may not be too visible Attendance at exhibitions, such as Railtex in March this year at Earls Court, London, next year at Infrarail, NEC, Birmingham, and possibly InnoTrans in Berlin – the worlds premier railway show – also allows Rail Alliance to play intermediary between larger purchasing companies and its membership of suppliers. MORE EVENTS PLANNED At the other end of the spectrum are the events the Alliance puts on for its members and non-members. In just over 12 months, there have been around 15 such gatherings, including 'meet the buyer' events, networking opportunities based around themes, such as accreditation, plus events to encourage innovation in products, services or supplier groupings. More are planned. These events are certainly not only for companies not yet engaged with the rail industry, they are important in helping existing suppliers see similar opportunities. "One engineering company already doing three of four jobs for the rail industry had, quite unwittingly, spanned the whole industry," explains Mr Flack. "The company hadn't looked at it like that, because it didn't have a full picture of the industry. Now they are, with our help, looking at the rail sector with more focus." But benefits are not solely linked to railways. "We have companies that have met through Rail Alliance, but who are now working together on completely unrelated business." Exhibitions and networking events apart, on a one-to-one basis, companies seeking help or information in person are a daily feature at Rail Alliance headquarters, Long Marston. Box item High speed manufacturing of high speed trains Hitachi Rail's IEP trains are 17 per cent lighter and boast 21 per cent more passenger capacity than their current high speed train counterparts. They are expected to enter full service from 2015-17, and will link London with Cambridge, Leeds, Hull, York, Newcastle and Edinburgh, and link London with the Thames Valley, Bristol and South Wales. Cambridge and Hull are not currently served by intercity trains. Hitachi Rail has developed a new production process for the nose structure of its high speed train cars. The structure constitutes the raked face of high speed cars and has previously been made from an aluminium frame on to which are welded aluminium panels, after which curves are produced by hammering these panels to the required shape. In all, some 700 panels were overlaid and fixed to the train's frame. In the new production process, thick aluminium plates are employed. CAD data is used to divide the nose form into around 20 areas – one plate per area. Plates are profile cut in their flat state, then they are formed in a press to finished shape. The formed plates are then machined in a high speed 5-axis machine to remove material such that an integral framework is machined on the inside surface of the plate. These panels are then combined to create the nose structure. According to Hitachi Rail, this is a revolutionary production technology that has automated a previously labour-intensive process, and has enabled it to supply nose structures of greater accuracy than ever before. Apart from the nose structure, the new trains' rail cars are based on Hitachi Rail's aluminium railcar system, the A-train, which uses a precision, high quality aluminium double-skin body constructed via panels joined by friction-stir welding (FSW), which is currently only used in Japan and Italy. According to www.railnews.co.uk: "FSW is a crucial issue in the current debate about whether Hitachi intends to create a manufacturing plant in Britain or only an assembly plant. Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon has told the trade unions that Hitachi definitely intends to "transfer technology" to Britain from Japan, which would be confirmation of the company's long-term manufacturing intentions." According to Hitachi Europe, London, the first 70 IEP vehicles will be built in Japan, but www.railnews.co.uk adds: "There are other signs that it [Hitachi Train] does want to become a major European player [building up a European manufacturing base]." Article first published in Machinery, May 2009