The West Midlands has a concentration of high-value-added engineering, design and integrated supply companies that have developed considerable expertise since the privatisation of the UK rail industry and are applying this in demanding UK and overseas markets.
Over 350 companies employ some 30,000 people and turn over in excess of £3 billion annually. All of the major rail consultancies are located or headquartered in the region.
There is significant strength in rail engineering, consultancy, project management and support with a unique blend of expertise and multi-disciplinary strength.
Many regional companies are operating internationally and addressing emerging markets, as well as established, first-world rail markets.
Achievements
• The Rail Supply Chain Programme (SCIP), delivered by the Manufacturing Advisory Service, has achieved significant penetration into the industry with over 100 companies not previously engaged with business improvement, technology or new market support becoming actively involved in the programme.
• With support from SCIP, Hepworth Rail has achieved full accreditation to the newly developed International Rail Industry Standard and Rail-Ability were assisted in concept development to produce a low cost 4x4 rail mounted access vehicle that has attracted significant early interest.
• The Technology Translation programme (TRail), was instrumental in forming multinational collaboration between SMEs and the research base to secure a €3 million research project known as SAFERAIL under the EU Framework 7 Research Programme.
• The Rail Alliance provides a network for collaborative agreements, communications and direct business opportunities in areas of new markets, new technology and changing business needs.
Target Markets 2008 - 11
• Infrastructure services aim to provide zero/rapid maintenance for the 7 Day Railway, through-life cost approaches, and product development facilities and build new business opportunities through the need to maintain, repair and upgrade infrastructure in a significantly shorter timescale.
• Vehicle services are responsible for overhaul/repair, new supply, maintainability and noise/ weight reduction in the rail industry. They aim to exploit opportunities arising from the outsourcing of risk, rapid maintenance, new supply possibilities, and greater crash worthiness of rolling stock.
• Intelligent infrastructure and transport systems remote condition monitoring, failure prediction, data and information. The cluster aims to capitalise upon the trend towards remote health monitoring of equipment, maintenance minimisation and optimisation.