€40 million modernization
Based in Hauts-de-France, Outreau Technologies produces railway crossings and was acquired by Germany’s Vossloh Cogifer for €6 million in 2013. Its parent company now plans to optimize operations by replacing the existing plant with a modern, 20,000-sq m facility at a cost of €40 million. The project is scheduled to run through 2020.
Hauts-de-France ranked first in France for rail
Some 40% of French rail manufacturing now takes place in Hauts-de-France, positioning the region as a European leader. The sector draws on an ecosystem with over 200 suppliers, underpinned by Bombardier, Alstom, Siemens and Titagarh—four world-class manufacturers—and I-Trans, a competitiveness cluster with a global mission. In all, the rail industry employs more than 10,000 people in Northern France and generates €1 billion in sales. Sources: Voix du Nord, Semaine du boulonnais