An alliance for collective performance in the rail industry

Publié le 6 August 2025

At a time when France is seeking concrete solutions to decarbonise transport and reduce road congestion, rail is back in the public debate. But behind the political ambitions, one thing is clear: rail infrastructure must remain reliable and efficient. While this transition is urgent, there are still many obstacles to overcome.
It is against this backdrop that the major players in the sector, including ETF, have decided to join forces by creating the Railway Network Industry and Engineering Alliance.

Announced on 24 June at SIFER 2025 (the International Railway Industry Exhibition), this unprecedented and ambitious alliance aims to pool their expertise and promote a shared vision to meet the expectations of rail users. Because, far beyond infrastructure, this alliance intends to accelerate a whole new model of mobility that is more efficient, more resilient and more coherent, with a constant priority: to tangibly improve the experience of passengers and professionals who use the network on a daily basis.

3 questions for Fabrice Guégan

President of ETF, member of the Railway Industry and Engineering Alliance

A dynamic approach that is fully consistent with ETF’s commitments

As the French rail industry embarks on a strategic turning point with the creation of the Alliance for the Rail Network Industry and Engineering, ETF is fully committed to this initiative as a partner. For the company, this initiative does not mark a break with the past, but is a logical continuation of its commitments to social responsibility.

The five priorities defined by the Alliance (safety, sharing investment plans, attractiveness and skills development, ecological transition and innovation, efficiency in studies and works) echo the priorities that ETF has been promoting for several years through its CSR policy (to be rediscovered here).

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Skills, climate and security: common challenges

In a context of tension in technical professions, where skills requirements are growing in line with expected investment, the Alliance also intends to play a leading role in boosting attractiveness.

The recent summer school organised by the railway network is a concrete example of this. ‘This event is a real opportunity to showcase our professions and attract the talent of tomorrow, particularly young engineers,’ explains Laurent Fontaine, Director of Regional Activities for the South and Chair of the SETVF Training Committee. By committing to this new collective initiative, ETF is reaffirming its desire to be a driving force behind a high-performing, sustainable and forward-looking railway industry.

Members of the railway network industry and engineering alliance

  • SNCF Réseau
  • RATP Infrastructures
  • Federation of Railway Industries (FIF)
  • Voies ferrées de France-SETVF, of which ETF is a member
  • Syntec-Ingénierie
  • They will soon be joined by the Union of Electrical and Climate Engineering Companies (SERCE).