Dear Friends,
As you will be well aware, on September 16th, we celebrated out 15th Anniversary. A long haul in which the Spanish Railways Association (MAFEX) has become the main representative of a highly cutting-edge industry with major presence abroad and renowned prestige the world over owing to its high technological capacity, specialisation and know-how.
For this reason, His Majesty King Felipe VI granted us royal audience on September 27th in which he met representatives of the companies that form the Association’s Board of Directors, led by our President, Víctor Ruiz Piñeiro, and in which we were given the opportunity to inform him of the progress made over these fifteen years of its career path; from the outset until its consolidation in the railway framework on a national and international scale. The encounter also served to pass on to his Highness the challenges and concerns that the Spanish railway sector faces, both on a national and international scale, and in which the railway, thanks to its advantages in terms of sustainability, capacity and safety, amongst others, must embark upon a pivotal role in future transport and sustainable mobility.
In the same section, there are also more detailed news items on events such as the “Workshop on the repercussion of the de-regulation of the passenger transport network in the railway industry” which MAFEX organised alongside IE University and in which representatives of the Spanish railway sector came together to analyse the main challenges and opportunities they face from December 2020 onwards, when the transport market for passengers will be opened up to competition.
Also worthwhile highlighting are two seminars carried out from within the Innovation Division of the Association in the field or R&D that boasted the collaboration in the same of TMB – Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona in the “TMB Challenges Seminar” y la “Workshop on technological advances in the railway sector”, the latter undertaken alongside IK4-Tekniker and which featured the backing of the Spanish Railway Technological Platform (PTFE), as well as the participation of Adif and Renfe. As you will know, from within the Association backing is being given to all those initiatives in this strategic field, understanding them as being key to the competitive improvement of sectorial companies and considering innovation to be an essential pillar to achieve the necessary evolution of the railway sector and its industry.
In this issue you will also be informed of the Trade Delegation organised to the Czech Republic in the month of September, the Foreign Promotion Plan 2020 that is already underway and the incorporation of three new members to MAFEX, to whom I would like to take the opportunity to give them our warmest welcome: SGS Tecnos, Technology & Security Developments and WSP Spain.
With regard to the section entitled “Destination”, an article is included on the transport plans in place in Australia and New Zeeland; two markets in which investments will be made in the overhaul of the railway network in the coming years, and which opportunities for collaboration open up for the Spanish railway industry. An example of this interest in the grouped participation of 8 companies under the auspice of MAFEX in the AusRail Plus Trade Fair that will be held in Sydney. from the 3rd to 5th of December.
A matter of major interest that you will find in the “In Depth” section is an analysis of the different financing models for transport projects, and their evolution experienced in recent years. The public private partnerships gather momentum with the aim of providing efficient and viable public transport network.
To conclude, as with every issue, in the section entitled “Our Partners”, you can consult as many as 16 news items and tenders awarded in recent months to Spanish firms, and in the section “Innovation” you will find seven interesting articles on technological innovations developed recently by MAFEX partners.
Approaching the year, I would also like to take advantage of the occasion to wish you a Merry Christmas and many successes for 2020.