Invensys (LSE: ISYS) announced that its railway subsidiary, won a ‘milestone’ contract to upgrade the signalling and automatic train control on São Paulo's rapidly developing Metro system. The deal between Invensys Rail, Brazilian engineering company Montagens e Projetos Especiais (MPE) and Spanish telecoms specialists Infoglobal is worth £255 million.
The section of the metro system to undergo modernisation is owned and operated by Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos (CPTM), representing over 100km of track and 47 metro stations. In total, 136 trains and maintenance vehicles operate on the three lines to transport over one million passengers per working day.
Invensys Rail’s work on the project equates to approximately 60% of the consortium. Invensys will install its Sirius Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) system on three lines and associated rolling stock along with WESTRACE interlockings, point machines and LED signals.
The new system will be installed and designed to operate alongside the existing signalling system until the project is fully completed. This approach has been successfully used by Invensys Rail on metros around the world and has proved highly successful in delivering complex projects on-time and on budget with the minimum disruption to passengers.
The contract marks Invensys Rail's biggest success to date in the Brazil. The South American country is one of the fastest growing emerging economies in the world. Brazil has a considerable pipeline of infrastructure projects including the rapid development of heavy-haul freight routes, commuter and metro networks and a planned high speed line in the country. According to Invensys Rail the latest contract award will provide a platform for expansion in this important and growing market.
Invensys Rail CEO and President, James Drummond emphasised the importance of this new contract win:
"This is our first major project award in Brazil and is yet another success for our CBTC systems after winning the signalling contract for Singapore's new Downtown Line. We are delighted to be given the opportunity to work on such a high-profile project in one of the world's most exciting cities."