The agreement between Vossloh and FGV opens up new business opportunities both in Spain and abroad
- The Infrastructure and Transport Minister of the Valencia Region confirms the experience and know-how necessary to advise on metro, tram train and tramway
- The aim is to diversify the public company’s activities and earn additional revenue by utilising this know-how
The Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Mario Flores, confirmed today that the collaboration agreement reached between Vossloh España S.A. and Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana (FGV) “will allow FGV to diversify its activities, generate additional revenue, and attract international projects to the Community”.
Flores, who signed the agreement today with the President of Vossloh España S.A., Iñigo Parra, emphasized the importance of this business alliance, “which marks the beginning of a series of collaborations to take advantage of FGV’s know-how and internationalize its operations”.
The Infrastructure Minister pointed out that while “the main objective of this public company is to guarantee urban and interurban mobility to improve the quality of life of our citizens”, FGV’s commitment “goes above and beyond this objective to address society as a whole, which means collaborating with the Valencian business sector in the Valencian Community, in Spain, and in the rest of the world”.
The Minister, who reiterated that he is “delighted” that this first collaboration “is with a major company based in the Valencian Community”, pointed out that FGV “already has experience in a joint venture with the company Logitren, which combine public and private interests” and that “we have already been involved in bidding for various national and international tenders for consultancy work and technical support” in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, France, Algeria and, of course, Spain.
Flores added that “we have sufficient experience and know-how to provide advice on metro, tram train and tramway operations”, which is underlined by the fact that Valencia was home to the first modern tramway system in Spain, and that the TRAM Train in Alicante is also the first of its kind in the country.
Meanwhile, the President of Vossloh España, Iñigo Parra, explained that the agreement is “very important” as it unites “two companies that will be contributing the best of their knowledge and experience, so this mutual support can be beneficial for the internationalization of our company’s projects”.
Parra pointed out that the first tenders where Vossloh and FGV could be bidding as a team “will be for passenger transport projects in South and Central America, given their similarity with the Community’s rail gauge”, though he does not rule out “specific collaborations” in Europe for technical consultancy work or drivers training. He also announced that this collaboration on passenger transport projects “could be expanded in the future to include freight transportation, thanks to FGV’s experience with Logitren”.
Counselling from FGV to Vossloh
The agreement is a protocol for action whereby FGV will provide a technical consultancy service to the railway manufacturer. This service will focus on the acquisition of clients who need a supply of rolling stock from Vossloh to train their staff in the future operation and maintenance of this material and equipment.
FGV undertakes to provide the facilities and rolling stock it has acquired from Vossloh to carry out technical inspections, training and any other activities that may be agreed between the companies involved.
The agreement also includes an advisory service from FGV to Vossloh on the preparation of technical and economic tenders and during the start-up period of the services adjudicated to the railway manufacturer company.
Joint venture
Through this collaboration agreement, FGV is demonstrating its interest in developing advisory and technical support services for other companies involved in the railway sector like Vossloh, with the aim of expanding its technology by bidding in tenders to supply and maintain rolling stock both in Spain and abroad.
The agreement also establishes that for each tender for which Vossloh bids, the two companies can establish a specific collaboration agreement, defining the exact scope of the input from FGV, the human and technical resources assigned to the project, and the economic return.
The agreement states that for tenders in which Vossloh notifies FGV of its interest in submitting a joint bid with FGV’s support, it cannot collaborate with any other bidder unless Vossloh specifies to FGV that it is only interested in its technical support services.
Valencia, April 27, 2010
Vossloh España,S.A
Pol.Ind. del Mediterráneo
Mitxera,nº.6
46550 Albuixech (Valencia)
Spain
Mr. Juan José Sanchís
Phone: (+34) 96 141 50 00
Fax: (+34) 96 141 50 07
Email: juan-jose.sanchis@ve.vossloh.com