Systra, l'ingenierie leader du transport urbain et ferroviaire

Meet us at InnoTrans 2010 !

Brigitte Verchère — 2010-08-05T14:03:34Z

SYSTRA will be present at the Innotrans Exhibition in Berlin, from September 21 to 24. We shall be pleased to welcome you to our stand n.244, hall 2.1.

We shall present:

The tramway "permeable track"

This innovation was developed by our Tramway Track team. The track is laid on plinths instead of a slab. Construction and maintenance costs are reduced compared with a classical track laid on a slab. Besides, by not concreting the space between both rails, the grass covering is in direct contact with the earth, which allows to reduce or even suppress the need for watering systems.

Our know-how in stations design and architecture

All our rail and urban transit projects

Whether it be high speed rail in China, Portugal, South Korea, rehabilitation or construction of rail lines in Central and Eastern Europe, Saudi Arabia, France, metro systems in the Middle East, Caucasus, India, in London, Copenhagen, Hanoi, Santiago, Algiers and Cairo, tramway networks in France, North Africa or in Montreal...

More information

a delegation from the Mayorality of Baghdad received at SYSTRA's head office

Brigitte Verchère — 2010-06-25T14:50:28Z

Further to the visit of the French Minister of Industry Mr Estrosi to Baghdad City on February 25, a delegation from the Mayorality of Baghdad lead by the Vice-Mayor Mr. Ibrahim M. Hussain was received at SYSTRA's head office by Philippe Citroën, Managing Director of SYSTRA, on 22nd, 23rd and 24th of June 2010.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the Contract for the study of the Bagdad metro. The design of the Project consisting of two underground metro lines of 18 km and 22 km could start in September 2010.

The Representative of the Mayorality of Baghdad has confirmed that the Project is a priority for the City and both parties are confident the agreement will be finalized in the coming weeks.

SYSTRA to take part in the 2010 Public Transport Fair

Brigitte Verchère — 2010-06-01T13:17:21Z

The Public Transport Fair, the European Mobility Exhibition takes place every 2 years in Paris at the Porte de Versailles Exhibition Centre and brings together all the leading players and decision-makers in the public transport and sustainable mobility sector.

For three days, from 8th to 10th June, SYSTRA will be presenting its work as project manager or assistant to the owner on 25 projects currently under way in France involving BRT or LRT and rail projects. Our teams will be ready to welcome you to our stand J40 for a series of presentations.

Programme of presentations

Tuesday 8th, 16.00-18.00: Achieving compatibility between carbon emissions and energy efficiency
Wednesday 9th, 10.30-12.30: Transport and traffic modelling: surveys, tools and practices
Wednesday 9th, 14.00-16.00: Calculating transport costs and socio-economic impact assessment
Wednesday 9th, 16.00-18.00: Transport hubs, stations and managing pedestrian traffic flows

Innovation Awards

As part of the Innovation-Research initiative, we are pleased to present the technique of laying track on longrine, known as “permeable track”. This cutting edge technique was developed by our Lyon Track team and is one of the entries for the Innovation Awards, under the auspices of the Minister of Sustainable Development and due to be presented on 8th June at 17.00.

Mobility Talents

Another date for your diary: the Mobility Talents awards on 10th June at 15.00. Aurélie Jehanno, project manager at SYSTRA Conseil, has been shortlisted in the “Young Talents”category.

Useful information

Paris-Expo, Porte de Versailles, Hall 1, stand J40, 8 to 10 June, from 9.00 am to 18.30 pm

Kenitra-Tangiers High-Speed Line: SYSTRA to manage civil engineering project

Brigitte Verchère — 2010-05-03T08:47:50Z

As part of the project for a high-speed rail link between Casablanca and Tangiers, the Moroccan Railways (ONCF) have awarded the contract for project management of the civil engineering for the Southern lot of the new line between Kenitra and Tangiers to a consortium consisting of SYSTRA SA (lead partner), and various Moroccan consulting firms, including SYSTRA's Moroccan subsidiary.

The Southern lot represents the southern half of the high-speed line to be extended with a dedicated high-speed track as far as Kenitra station. Designs will be based on a linear length of 122 km with supervision of works carried out on 110 km of relatively flat landscape.

A total of 49 months has been set aside for the project. The consortium is in charge of scheme design, detailed design and assistance with the award of contracts for works for a period of 24 months. It is also responsible for detailed design approval, construction drawings and approval of construction drawings, for management of works, scheduling, management and co-ordination of works as well as assistance with reception of works for a conditional period of 31 months.

The contract, signed on 22 April 2010, follows on from the basic design study for general infrastructure and operating systems which SYSTRA completed in December 2009.

SYSTRA to be technical expert for Réseau Ferré de France

Brigitte Verchère — 2010-04-30T09:31:30Z

On 19 April 2010, the French Network Operator (RFF), appointed SYSTRA, as head of a consortium including partners BUREAU VERITAS and subcontractors, ALGOE, as the technical expert (OT) in charge of ensuring compliance between designs and construction of the GSM-Rail network installations for a period of 5 years.

The programme of modernisation of the ground-to-train radio communication system was launched by RFF in July 2003, with the aim of:

replacing the function of the current analogue system which is now becoming obsolete;
ensuring interoperation between the European ground train communication networks;
acting as a support for applications of the planned ETCS signalling system (European Train Control System).

The RFF project is in line with the decision of a large number of European countries (Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Belgium) who have already begun setting up GSM-Rail networks.

RFF began implementing its publicly-owned GSM-Rail network, mainly in the east of France. Approximately five hundred radio sites, the transmission network which connects them, the railway telephone network, two switching centres and an integration and testing platform have been set up. By the end of 2009, 2,700 km of track had been equipped and uninterrupted transition at border crossing points with Germany was fully operational.

Against this background, a meeting of the Interministerial Committee for Regional Development and Competition on 14 October 2005 earmarked the GSM-Rail project as a suitable candidate for a partnership contract. So in 2006 RFF launched a consultation to award the GSM-Rail partnership contract, which was signed on 18 February 2010 with SYNERAIL. The contract came into force on 24 March 2010. Commercial launch of the RFF GSM-Rail network is planned within 5 years and involves around 11,400 km of track, which should lead just under 2000 radio sites being set up.

The public-private partnership (PPP) for GSM-Rail is the first of its kind in the field of rail transport, and one of the largest partnership contracts ever in France. To inspect the work and ensure that SYNERAIL properly fulfils its contracts for design and construction of the network, RFF has appointed a third party as technical expert, chosen for its expertise and know-how in the field of telecommunication network supervision.

Based on the joint experience of the SYSTRA – BUREAU VERITAS consortium gained both in France and abroad in the field of rail network implementation, and the skills acquired in telecommunications (including GSM-Rail) and railway operation, the consortium offers four key success factors for its role in providing technical assistance for verification, inspection and audit of the development of the GSM-Rail network:

An organisation with a well-established, long-standing and active presence across the country,
An organisational structure which is capable of handling the many different interfaces of the project, which can be seen in the integration of the consortium's tools and resources,
A highly-competent organisation, with multidisciplinary skills in telecommunications and rail transport at its disposal,
An organisation specifically designed to meet the objectives and carry out the processes required for the role of technical expert.

The success of this project will require a wide-range of qualifications, both in-depth knowledge of the sector, for example, GSM-Rail and international systems, design and implementation of telecommunications networks (equipment manufacturers, operators, regulators etc), and functional expertise, such as knowledge of the specific rail context (operation, railway telephony, transmission and ground-to-train communication).

SYSTRA Group continues to flourish

Brigitte Verchère — 2010-04-27T09:00:29Z

Michel CORNIL, Chairman of SYSTRA, and Philippe CITROËN, the Managing Director, presented the 2009 results for the SYSTRA Group on April 22, during a press conference oorganized at SYSTRA's head office in Paris.

The SYSTRA Group finished 2009 with an increased turnover for the fourth consecutive year, up from 241.3 million euros in 2008 to 252.6 million euros in 2009, an increase of 4.7%. Net profits reached 17.5 million euros.

Staffing levels of the SYSTRA Group increased sharply to reach 2,510 personnel around the world in 2009, with 732 in SYSTRA France.

To date, future orders for the Group amount to 15 months of turnover.

The Middle East remains the major growth area, with the Dubai metro and numerous projects in Saudi Arabia. SYSTRA has also strengthened its position in Algeria, Morocco and Egypt.

In France, SYSTRA confirmed its leadership in the field of segregated site public transport projects - tramways and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects – by acting as manager or assistant to the owner on more than 20 projects. SYSTRA has also carried out several projects for the French rail network operator (RFF).

Business in the rest of the world focused on landmark projects such as Crossrail, the planned MRT for Greater London (Europe) and the Hanoi metro (Asia).

To bolster its activities in the field of sustainable mobility and environment, a new division was created in March 2009, SYSTRA Conseil, which comprises around 100 engineers, technicians and experts.

Project management for two tramlines in northern France

Brigitte Verchère — 2010-04-13T09:38:47Z

SYSTRA, together with INEXIA, ECCTA, ILEX and URBANICA, has been appointed as project manager for two tramway lines totalling 37 km in length. The contract was awarded by the Artois-Gohelle Joint Syndicate for Public Transport (SMT), who are responsible for the transport policy of 115 towns and villages with a total population of 600,000.

The first line, which will be 20km long and comprise 30 stations, will connect the towns of Liévin, Lens and Hénin-Beaumont; the other line (17.4 km and 24 stations), will run from Bruay-la-Buissière to Béthune and Beuvry. The Joint Syndicate aims to use this landmark project to regenerate this former mining area, which is currently benefitting from economic transformation.

The consortium has been given the task of general project management which ranges from preliminary studies to completion of the project. SYSTRA will be responsible for management and, in conjunction with INEXIA, for engineering and systems. ECCTA is in charge of infrastructure and roads and services, ILEX and URBANICA will take responsibility for architecture, landscaping and urban design. The consortium is due to set out proposals for the route by autumn 2010. The two lines will serve 18 towns and villages and comprise a number of railway and level crossings.

Works are due to start in 2011 with commissioning and launch set for 2014.

Derek Moore appointed CEO of MVA Consultancy

Brigitte Verchère — 2010-03-26T09:38:53Z

Derek Moore has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of MVA Consultancy in succession to Nigel Ash who has left the group.

Derek was previously MVA's Divisional Director, Business Consulting.

He has 20 years management consultancy experience gained first with PricewaterhouseCoopers and then with IBM. At IBM he planned and played a prominent part in achieving incremental sales of US$100m a year within 3 years in the freight logistics market.

Previously Derek gained 10 years line management experience mainly in the parcels industry in commercial development roles.

SYSTRA partner in the Railway Engineering conference

Brigitte Verchère — 2010-03-17T13:03:31Z

SYSTRA is a partner in the third international conference on Railway Engineering organised in Paris on March 25-26 by Le Rail magazine.

In Session 2, "urban rail engineering", Hervé Mazzoni, deputy director of SYSTRA Transport Systems Department will present "Dubai's Red Line: the world's longest automatic metro".

Christian Schang, Engineering deputy director, will be chairing the first session, "the design and management of major projects in the world".

The conference will be held at UIC head office, 16 rue Jean Rey, 75015 Paris.

Programme of the conference

SYSTRA awarded ISO 14001 certification

Brigitte Verchère — 2010-03-04T11:15:41Z

SYSTRA has just received AFAQ ISO 14001 environmental certification for all its sites and consulting and engineering businesses.

This achievement is the culmination of a major internal programme to integrate environmental aspects into the management system which already received ISO 9001 certification 12 years ago. This will have an impact on all our practices, ranging from acting responsibly in our daily work to eco-design of projects for our clients. For a growing number of tenders and contracts, ISO 14001 has now become essential.

The process was conducted by the leading French company, AFNOR Certification, which is one of the top certification organisations around the world, recognised for its ethics and its experience.

This certification symbolises the commitment of SYSTRA's teams to environmental quality and also reflects our sense of corporate social responsibility as a company which is attentive to reducing the impact of its activities whilst controlling costs. It is fully consistent with SYSTRA's long-term strategy of promoting sustainable mobility.

View the certificate