We said goodbye to the last year with an exercise that meant the return to normality in terms of mobility but contrasted by the worrying escalation in the prices of raw materials, energy and transport, especially affecting the existing contracts in our industry. That’s why we wanted to make our voice heard, specifically to address the update of the Railway Sector Law. In the final version of the Law, approved in the Congress of Deputies last December, a second additional provision has been incorporated that, without responding to all the requests made by Mafex, enables an exceptional revision of prices in the contracts for the supply of railway rolling stock and the components necessary for its manufacture and maintenance intended for or subject to contracts with public service obligations (PSO). However, it is still more necessary than ever to continue working to promote measures to support the railway industry in the face of the current inflationary and uncertain scenario that threatens our competitiveness.
In this context, we started the year with eleven new members. This brings the number of companies and entities that under the umbrella of our Association represent all sectors and subsectors of the value chain to a total of 108. Therefore, in this first issue of the year, we address within our usual section of “In depth” the characteristics that make up the solid value chain of the Spanish railway industry. A model of success based on a firm commitment to R+D, a unique know-how and the excellence in the quality of services. Our industry has the endorsement of having been the architect of the development of the Spanish railway network, one of the most extensive and advanced in the world, having also been able to export its technology and knowledge to almost a hundred countries across five continents, managing to become in many of them the preferred partners of administrations and operators.
In this issue we also review the latest activities carried out by the Association in the last months of last year and present our agenda for the current one, where it is worth highlighting the celebration of our 8th International Railway Convention to be held between the 8th and 10th of May in Toledo. This biennial activity will bring together a significant number of operating companies, infrastructure managers, public administrations and manufacturers and providers of railway services from more than 25 countries with companies representing our railway industry.
All these topics are discussed in Issue 34 of the Mafex magazine, which also includes current news and innovative solutions from more than 37 members. We also offer a review on the 2022 edition of Rail Live! and we reveal new details of its next edition, which will be held from 29th November to 1st December in Madrid and where we hope to bring together more than 10,000 professionals in a renowned international event.
Starting from this edition, we have introduced a new section dedicated to sustainability where we want to value the technological and non-technological initiatives that generate shared value and that are being carried out from this field. This new feature is a sign of the commitment of our members to sustainability.
The sector as a whole must now respond to the present and future challenges it faces, with the capacity for innovation and commitment that characterises it. And, as always, working together for sustainable mobility where there is full confidence in the railway.