Spanish railway industry: A model of global success

THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURES AROUND THE WORLD HAS A SPANISH HALLMARK. IN RECENT YEARS, THE RAILWAY INDUSTRY IN THIS COUNTRY HAS EXPORTED ITS TECHNOLOGY AND KNOWLEDGE TO MORE THAN 90 COUNTRIES ON THE FIVE CONTINENTS. ITS SUCCESS MODEL: A SOLID AND EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE VALUE CHAIN, COMMITMENT TO THE MOST AVANT-GARDE R&D, UNIQUE KNOW HOW AND EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE.

The Spanish railway industry has established itself as one of the leading providers of cutting-edge solutions for the 21st century transport. Companies in the sector have seen the award of contracts around the world grow exponentially in recent years. Their high degree of technological advances, their own know-how and the ability to understand the specific needs of each project have made them the preferred partner of numerous transport administrations.

Experience in Spain: A mirror for the world

This important industry has a portfolio of state-of-the-art services and products already implemented in more than 90 countries. The remarkable increase in its international presence is the result of the experience gained in the development of the Spanish railway network, one of the most extensive and advanced in the world. The contribution to the implementation of a modern high-speed system, the second most important in the world with 3,200 kilometres, as well as the largest deployment of ERTMS in Europe or the country’s numerous metro and tramway systems have earned them international recognition.

In these years of work, they have been able to overcome great challenges with a high level of complexity in the design, execution, and deployment of technology. With a complex orography they have faced mega-infrastructures, successfully solving the implementation of new lines in difficult terrain for the railway. They have also been able to respond to challenges of combining the operation of the different existing track gauges or technologies of different international manufacturers. This background has given them a unique knowledge when it comes to successfully implementing the entire cycle of a project, from the initial stage of planning and consultancy to the final delivery.

“The Spanish railway industry has established itself as one of the leading providers of cutting-edge solutions for the 21st century transport”

Differentiating value chain

The Spanish industry offer covers all cycles of the project. This differentiating proposal is made possible by a complete value chain. The wide diversity of the companies that make up this industry is one of its most characteristic factors and it allows to create ideal synergies to adapt each proposal to the specific needs of the client. This competitive advantage makes it possible to have global solutions and for them to be present from the pre-consulting and planning phase of the project to the design, execution, and supervision stages of any infrastructure.

They also have major rolling stock manufacturers and associated equipment and components. They are joined by the development of multiple technological solutions and control and signaling, communications, passenger information or ticketing systems.

Furthermore, in recent years, the incorporation of new services around their own manufacture of products has been increasing. The objective, to respond to the trend of “servitisation” associated with the product (maintenance, financing, after-sales service, operation, management, etc.).

The Spanish railway, mirror for the world

  1. Spain is at the top international positions for the quality and volume of high-speed traffic.
  2. Leaders in high-speed. Spain’s high-speed network is the third largest in the world with 3,402 kilometres.
  3. Spain. Pioneers of urban transport networks: 8 cities have metro and 11 other cities have tram.
  4. At the forefront of ERTMS signalling with 1,850 km.

Sustainability and digitalisation

Another aspect that works in favour of Spanish railway companies is its contribution to the digital transformation of the sector and to sustainable mobility.

The creation of their own technologies to boost energy efficiency and environmentally friendly transport will help achieve the goals to which the European Green Deal and the UN SDGs aspire.

R&D: Key to the train of the future

A clear example of the role of its knowledge and know-how is reflected in technology programmes such as the European R&D instrument Shift2Rail.

“The European R&D programme Shift2Rail has a wide representation of Spanish companies”

This initiative has a wide representation of Spanish companies such as founding members, others such as collaborators or subcontractors working on the railway of the future and improving the quality of infrastructures and services.

A benchmark in infrastructures

Spanish companies have implemented many of the major railway infrastructures in recent years. The construction companies of this country are at the forefront in kilometres of railway civil engineering.

Among the many and most important international milestones are the Marmay project (Turkey), CrossRail (UK) or the St. Gotthard Tunnel, which have been three of Europe’s most technically difficult underground works. Signs of their leadership in tunnels are also the “North West Rail Link” (Australia) or “The East Side Access”.

AT THE FOREFRONT OF PROJECTS IN AN INTEGRAL WAY

  • Consultancy: Planning, management, and financing of railway transport systems.
  • Projects: Professional and technical capacity for the design of infrastructures (civil engineering, facilities, and systems).
  • Construction: Coordination of all stages, with numerous solutions in technical assistance, leadership, management, and project oversight.
  • Operation: Launch and operation of railway infrastructures, with personalised advice and the provision of the most advanced technologies (information systems, control, safety, communications, etc.).
  • Turnkey: The Spanish industry undertakes numerous comprehensive projects in the world under this modality. Under this formula the transport system is delivered with all the infrastructure finalised, as well as all its systems for the customer to operate it according to their needs.
  • Maintenance: Supervision and inspection of the operation of the facilities to ensure their optimal maintenance with the highest quality standards.
  • Pioneers in new technologies: In all phases of each project is made available to the market (BIM, Big Data, Machine learning, Iot, blocchain, etc.).