The Railway Engineering Company Ltd (TRE)

Source: http://www.trerail.co.uk/

The Railway Engineering Company Ltd (TRE) was today sold by James Fisher Group plc to Hitachi Europe Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE:6501).

TRE supplies signalling training and assessment simulators as well as automatic routing systems for use on the UK and international railways. Since it was founded in 2000 TRE has grown considerably and developed a range of dedicated software applications which are widely used throughout the industry. Their simulators are installed in all the main signalling control centres and are used to train and familiarise signallers. The automatic routings systems are currently being installed in a number of areas on the Network Rail Infrastructure.

All existing activities and staff will continue to operate as usual from their current business locations, led by Managing Director Robert Butler. In the future TRE anticipate augmenting the current portfolio with new developments whilst integrating products from the Hitachi Group.

TRE will become part of Hitachi Group of companies and will work closely with Hitachi’s rail business and Infrastructure Systems business in both the UK and European Markets seeking to leverage the considerable synergies in product areas such as simulation, control and traffic management.

TRE are already working closely with Hitachi Rail Europe, Ltd. on a traffic management system for Network rail infrastructure Limited (“Network Rail”). This Network Rail project will test and evaluate prototypes from Hitachi and two other companies with a potential to roll-out traffic management across the entire rail network in Great Britain via centralised management at 14 operating centres, as part of efforts to increase efficiency and reduce costs.

TRE Managing Director Rob Butler commented: “We are very excited by the considerable opportunities this acquisition promises. We will continue to provide the same quality and service to our clients and look to further develop our offer as we simulate, validate and control railway signalling and operations both here in the UK and overseas.”

Yutaka Saito, President & CEO of Infrastructure Systems Group and Infrastructure Systems Company, Senior Vice President and Executive Officer, Hitachi, Ltd. commented: “Advanced social infrastructure systems are imperative to today’s world, in order to help reduce carbon emissions and build a sustainable society. Hitachi is therefore committed to expanding its total solutions systems business, by the integration of IT and social infrastructure systems. Through this acquisition, we aim to gain a foothold in expanding our social infrastructure business in the UK and Europe.”

Kiyoshi Yamamoto, Managing Director of Hitachi Europe Ltd. commented: “We are delighted to be announcing this new acquisition, in line with our plans to build a greater presence for Hitachi in the European Infrastructure Systems Business, including Rail industry. Together, we seek to leverage the considerable synergies in our product areas, including simulation, control and traffic management. This acquisition helps strengthen Hitachi’s vision of creating a strong social innovation business globally.

Hitachi Rail Europe and The Railway Engineering Company already have been working together and we look forward to combining the efforts permanently to increase productivity, efficiency and innovation within the rail sector.”