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French Rail Mill Renews Long-Term Supply Contract
12/07/2015 - Tata Steel’s French rail mill has won a renewed contract to supply rail to SNCF, a French rail operator.
According to Tata, the renewed contract is for five years and will account for the majority of SNCF’s 750,000 metric ton requirement. Tata has been the SNCF’s main supplier of rail since 1999.
"This contract will provide a valuable foundation for our future order book and keeps SNCF at the very heart of our focus for delivering customer satisfaction in terms of quality products and services,” said Gérard Glas, Tata Steel’s rail sector head.
Tata’s rail mill in Hayange produces a variety of products, including heat-treated grades designed for high-traffic and heavy-freight lines. Tata said the contract renewal follows a EUR35 million investment in the mill, allowing it to begin making 108-meter lengths.
The mill will supply heat-treated rail and lengths of up to 108 meters. It also will supply Tata’s Sogenox, a type of rail that enables the train’s location to be communicated through the track using electrical signals.
SNCF president Jacques Rapoport said the contract provides “visibility” to SNCF’s industrial partners.
“We wanted to develop this type of long-term contract for three reasons: to increase our rail capacity to cope with an unprecedented workload to renovate the existing network; to improve our manufacturing efficiency by providing additional scope for innovation; and, finally, to challenge our processes to enable continuous improvement,” he said.
"This contract will provide a valuable foundation for our future order book and keeps SNCF at the very heart of our focus for delivering customer satisfaction in terms of quality products and services,” said Gérard Glas, Tata Steel’s rail sector head.
Tata’s rail mill in Hayange produces a variety of products, including heat-treated grades designed for high-traffic and heavy-freight lines. Tata said the contract renewal follows a EUR35 million investment in the mill, allowing it to begin making 108-meter lengths.
The mill will supply heat-treated rail and lengths of up to 108 meters. It also will supply Tata’s Sogenox, a type of rail that enables the train’s location to be communicated through the track using electrical signals.
SNCF president Jacques Rapoport said the contract provides “visibility” to SNCF’s industrial partners.
“We wanted to develop this type of long-term contract for three reasons: to increase our rail capacity to cope with an unprecedented workload to renovate the existing network; to improve our manufacturing efficiency by providing additional scope for innovation; and, finally, to challenge our processes to enable continuous improvement,” he said.
