Balfour Beatty, the international engineering, construction and services group, announces today that it has acquired Laser Rail. This specialist rail company provides technology, software and services to support the engineering of the railway infrastructure and its interface with trains. It is a market leader in its sector.
Headquartered in Matlock, Derbyshire, Laser Rail has over 80 employees and was founded in 1989. The company has developed and holds the intellectual property rights for TrackRouteTM and ClearRouteTM/HyperRouteTM. These are the most widely used software tools approved and used on the UK main line network for assessment of vehicle to structure clearance. It also develops and sells software that allows management and analysis of the infrastructure data and provides services based on these capabilities.
This latest acquisition complements Balfour Beatty’s extensive rail expertise. It will operate within the Rail Technologies operating company and represents a key step in that business’ objective to develop a portfolio of asset management products and services.
Manfred Leger, Group Managing Director at Balfour Beatty plc, with responsibility for rail, said: “The additional business will give the Group market leadership in structure vehicle interface management and offers the prospect of developing an international presence in this sector.
“As rail network operators continue to pursue higher line speeds and introduce new rolling stock, they will seek to change costly labour intensive methods and considerable growth is expected in the market for structure vehicle interface management.”
It is intended that the company will continue to trade as Laser Rail within the Balfour Beatty Rail group of companies.
Enquiries to:
Marjorie Hooper
Tel: 020 7216 6883
www.balfourbeatty.com
Notes to Editors
1) Balfour Beatty Rail Technologies provides technical products and services to enhance railway infrastructure asset performance. Its main areas of expertise include:
- Specialist signalling services - condition and event monitoring, automated testing equipment and evaluation software, namely Asset View, Switch View, Power View and Computer Aided Testing Systems.
- Track services, including mechanised inspection (ultrasonics, track geometry and video) and XiTRACK®*, a ballast stabilisation product.
- Related plant services (such as grinding equipment and track geometry correction services).
2) Balfour Beatty is the world's leading fixed rail infrastructure contractor with operations in over 20 countries, delivering major multi-disciplinary projects, trackwork, electrification and power supply, signalling, specialist plant, track systems and components and maintenance services.
3) Balfour Beatty is a leading supplier of electrification and power supply services to Network Rail, Deutsche Bahn, the Italian and Swedish state railway systems and many other network owners.
4) Balfour Beatty is a world-class engineering, construction, services and investment business, well positioned in infrastructure markets which offer significant long-term growth. We work in partnership with sophisticated customers who value the highest levels of quality, safety and technical expertise. Our skills are applied in appropriate combinations to meet individual customer need. Its financial position, with significant net cash and with strong operating cash flows, offers continuing flexibility to add additional capacity and expertise to the business mix and to make appropriate investments in PPP and other long-term growth opportunities. |