Alstom is taking a new step forward in the implementation of its AiM (Alstom in Motion) strategic plan in France with the acquisition of Ibre, a company specialised in the development, manufacture and supply of cast iron or steel brake discs for high-speed, intercity, regional and suburban trains, trams and metros. Alstom and Ibre already had a long working relationship on projects for SNCF.
With the acquisition, Alstom will reinforce its internal capabilities regarding railway braking systems, which are essential to the overall dynamic performance of trains.
Ibre employs around 30 people at its Sens site in the region of Bourgogne Franche Comté and had a turnover of approximately €10 million in 2019. It is a company with an international scope, with more than half of its sales in France, of both original equipment and replacements. The rest primarily serves customers in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Scandinavia, England, India and Germany.
“This acquisition represents very promising development potential for Ibre and its employees and is in line with Alstom’s strategy to extend its know-how,” says Jean-Baptiste Eyméoud, Senior Vice President Alstom France.
Railway brake discs are one of the critical components of the braking system. Alstom’s acquisition of Ibre represents a unique opportunity to extend its offer. Ibre products will be offered as original equipment and as part of maintenance contracts. Following completion of the transaction, which took place on 30 June, the company, renamed “Alstom Ibre”, becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Alstom.
IBRE is an experienced designer and producer and brake discs & levers
The first of the 12000-horsepower, Prima T8 electric locomotives has been put into commercial service by Indian Railways. Built by Alstom and certified by the Ministry of Railways and Commissioner of Railway Safety/RDSO, the electric locomotives – known locally by the designation WAG-12 – are the most powerful locomotives to run on Indian rails. The 2015 contract will see a total of 800 locomotives built for Indian Railways.
Set to revolutionise freight logistics in the country, the e-locos will allow faster and safer movement of heavy freight trains, capable of hauling 6000 tonnes at a top speed of 120 km/h. Planned for deployment on Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs), they will increase the average speed of freight trains in India by approximately 25 km/h. Equipped with Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT) propulsion technology, the e-locos will also allow considerable savings in energy consumption thanks to the use of regenerative braking.
“Alstom is very pleased to be delivering these electric locomotives to Indian Railways. The introduction of the Prima locomotives into the IR fleet demonstrates our commitment to the country. This revolutionary product which will be faster, safer and more environmentally friendly, and it will help write a new chapter for India’s sustainable mobility journey. We are immensely proud to be a partner in this,” said Ling Fang, Senior Vice President of Alstom Asia-Pacific.
In line with the Make-in-India mandate, all the 800 Prima locomotives are being manufactured locally. Designed at Alstom’s Engineering Centre in Bengaluru, the Prima T8 WAG-12 are being built in one of India’s largest integrated greenfield manufacturing facilities at Madhepura in Bihar. Spread across 250 acres, with a production capacity of 120 locomotives per year, the Madhepura site is built to international standards of safety and quality. Two ultra-modern maintenance depots in Saharanpur and Nagpur will ensure the high service availability of the locomotives. The Saharanpur depot is already operational and the one in Nagpur is under construction. Equipped with the latest features, these depots will play a critical role in maintaining India’s most advanced freight locomotives at significantly lower costs.
As part of the largest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) project of Indian Railways, in 2015 the Ministry of Railways and Alstom signed a contract worth €3.5 billion (INR 25,000 crore) and created a joint venture for the project. The contract allowed for the manufacture of 800 double-section, 12000-horsepower electric locomotives for freight service and associated maintenance for a period of 11 years. The scope also included the set-up of a manufacturing plant at Madhepura (Bihar) for building the e-locos and two maintenance depots at Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) and Nagpur (Maharashtra). A true embodiment of India’s vision, the project will create more than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs in the country (primarily in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra).
Alstom and Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) unveiled the life-sized mock-up of the trainset for Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line). The new, iconic and exclusive design for Mumbai meets all technical and manufacturing parameters. The mock-up provides a glimpse of the advanced features that will make daily commute substantially easier for millions of citizens in the city.
Once operational, the Aqua Line will reduce vehicular congestion by offering a better alternative that will be fast, efficient and sustainable. Earlier, in August this year, the scale model of the rolling stock was unveiled by Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra in presence of Ashwini Bhide, Managing Director of MMRC along with senior officials. At the same event, Line 3 was christened as Aqua Line, inspired by the vital flow of the sea which is an integral part of the city.
Speaking of this milestone, Alain Spohr, Managing Director, Alstom India and South Asia said, “Our objective was to create an appropriate, future-proofed design that is relevant to the people, the city and their expectations. This theme is called – Dynamic Fluidism. All technical and manufacturing parameters have been met in respect to the high interior density layout and space efficiency. We are proud to present this ‘New Face of Mumbai Transportation’. Alstom is committed to support MMRC in easing the transportation challenges of Mumbai. With the project stipulating more than 80% localized manufacturing, this contract further reinforces Alstom’s commitment to invest, grow and Make in India.”
The design takes inspiration from the positive energy of Mumbai and architecture of the city–which is an amalgamation of different styles from around the world. The theme captures evolution of the city’s architectural landscapes over the years.
The exterior theme is a tribute to the energy flowing through the city of Mumbai – the city that never sleeps. Inspired by the vital flow of water and aspiring to be a fast, efficient and sustainable mode of travel, to become the new lifeline for the people of Mumbai.
The interior colour harmony is inspired by the people of Mumbai–always on the move, who turn to the sea for peace and are soothed by its waves and breeze. This inspired the idea to use a unique blend of comfort (beige) and freshness (arctic green) to provide a relaxing and refreshing travel experience.
The trainsets for Aqua Line will be equipped with regenerative braking system aiding significant reduction in carbon emissions. The 177.2 meter-long trainsets will have higher capacity capable of ferrying around 3,000 passengers in one trip to accommodate high passenger flow.
Aqua Line trainset will have safety features that include CCTV cameras, smoke detectors, emergency intercoms, fire extinguishers with large detrainment doors to quickly evacuate passengers in an emergency. The trainsets have appropriate signages, three rows of grab rails, grab handles, poles for holding and dedicated space for passengers with luggage. The design also ensures easy accessibility and comfort for the differently abled, with dedicated space for wheelchair in every car.
MMRC awarded Alstom a contract worth €315 million to supply 31 lightweight, fully-furnished modern passenger trainsets of 8 cars each (total 248 metro cars) for Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line) in September 2018. Along with rolling stock, Alstom will also execute the power supply contract and equip Line 3 with Urbalis 400, its latest generation of CBTC signalling technology. The scope of the signalling contract (worth €100 million) includes unattended train operation (UTO), computer-based interlocking and centralised train supervision, platform screen doors, as well as the electrical and mechanical supervisory control and data acquisition system (E&M SCADA).
The Aqua Line has 27 stations (26 under-ground & 1 at-grade), 33.5-km long underground stretch connecting the busiest and most congested regions in Mumbai – one of the fastest growing cities in India. The metro line will connect Cuffe Parade business district in the extreme south of the city to Santacruz Electronics Export Processing Zone in the north-central. The Aqua Line will be the first underground metro line in Mumbai and will be one of the longest underground continuous stretches in India.
28 June 2019 – Alstom, in consortium with Bombardier Transportation, will supply 32 further DT5 metro trains to Hamburger Hochbahn AG (Hochbahn) for a total amount of 186 million euros. Alstom’s share of the contract amounts to over 100 million euros. As part of this contract, Alstom will supply the mechanical part, the bogies and the mechanical braking system, while Bombardier will supply the electrical equipment, the driving system, the passenger information system and the vehicle control system. The trains will be assembled at Alstom’s site in Salzgitter, Lower Saxony. The new trains are to be put into service from January 2021 onwards.
“For many years now, our vehicles have been shaping mobility in Hamburg. This order confirms that customers and passengers are satisfied with our vehicles and will continue to rely on the DT5 trains in the future. With this order we will have delivered a total of 163 vehicles to Hamburg. This is a proof of our long-standing, trusting and sustainable cooperation with Hochbahn”, says Dr. Jörg Nikutta, Managing Director for Alstom in Germany and Austria.
The DT5 metro fleet has been in operation in Hamburg since autumn 2012. The Hochbahn has now ordered a total of 163 metro trains of this generation in order to cope with the increasing number of passengers in the city. In the past, Alstom had already delivered the DT2, DT3 and DT4 fleets – a total of 462 trains – to the Hamburg subway system.
Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany and the eighth largest city in the European Union. In order to meet the needs of such a large urban population, the DT5 was designed as a modern, spacious subway with wide corridors, a continuous interior and multi-purpose areas adapted to new passenger needs. Each of the 40 meter long three-car trains has 96 seats, 240 standing spaces and two additional wheelchair spaces. The DT5 also offers high passenger comfort, such as air conditioning, passenger information and monitoring systems as well as automatic door closing.
The DT5 subways are environmentally friendly. Their lightweight stainless steel car bodies and regenerative braking system contribute to improving energy efficiency. The vehicles are very quiet, which makes the Hamburg subway one of the quietest in the world.
As part of the Hamburg Senate’s bidding offensive, Hochbahn is expanding its range of services by an average of around five percent per year over the next three years. The new services include significantly tighter metro intervals and a massive expansion of the bus service with new express and area buses. The latest subway generation (DT5) is now to be increased by 32 vehicles and up to 163 vehicles at a later stage.
