SIFER 2017

ETF was the partner for the Infrastructure zone at the SIFER trade fair, which was held in Lille from 21 to 23 March 2017. It was a great success, with nearly 320 partners visiting the ETF stand. On the morning of 21 March, ETF welcomed Patrick Jeantet, President of SNCF Réseau, accompanied by Louis Nègre, President of the Federation of Railway Industries (FIF) and President of the Groupement des Autorités Responsables du Transport (GART). Discussions focused on the various growing forms of partnership between ETF and SNCF Réseau, on training and on shared innovation. On the afternoon of 21 March, ETF took part in a round table discussion on the theme of ‘SNCF Réseau and railway companies: towards a new model of cooperation’. The main topic of discussion was the modernisation and regeneration of the national rail network and the conditions for a double success for all partners. ETF was able to discuss its activities on the modernisation of the RER C catenary and present its innovations implemented on the Zones Denses rapid transit system. On 21 March, in the late afternoon, i-Trans presented the ‘Innovation Awards’. This project, led by , is part of the actions carried out with ERCI (European Railway Clusters Initiative). ERCI is a network coordinated by i-Trans, comprising 12 European railway clusters focused on research and innovation in the railway sector, from 10 EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. ETF was awarded the ‘jury’s favourite’ prize for its ‘dual-flow ballast transport train’ solution, in recognition of the significant impact this solution will have on the railway industry. With this award, ETF has qualified for the European final, which will be held at the TRAKO trade fair in Poland next September.