The partnership will allow the company to harness new state-of-the-art equipment and tap into the metallurgy and mechanical engineering expertise of the University of Sheffield. Rails produced through the collaboration will be used to improve the U.K.’s own infrastructure as part of the UK Railway Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN), the company said in a statement. 

British Steel supplies the majority of the track laid in the U.K. and exports rail across the globe, the company said. 

"This partnership will help ensure British Steel continues to lead the way in developing and building the railways of the future,” British Steel chief executive Ron Deelen said. “In a hugely competitive market, we’re committed to enhancing our product range so we can keep meeting and exceeding the high standards operators and travelers rightly demand."

Engineers from the university have built state-of-the-art grinding equipment using machining techniques from the aerospace industry that can be used to prepare rails prior to installation, thereby ensuring the highest quality. Further developments are planned to maintain existing lines even more efficiently.

"The investment in new equipment with British Steel is opening up research directions, and partnering with them is a fantastic route for the knowledge gained to achieve impact,” added University of Sheffield railway engineering professor David Fletcher.