As part of the planned divestment of its Wire & Cable Solutions division, Leoni AG is to sell the Leoni Schweiz business to a consortium led by former board member Bruno Fankhauser and Helvetica Capital. Leoni Schweiz is the holding company of Leoni Studer, which specialises in cables for industrial and infrastructure applications including the Gotthard base tunnel. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of Q1 2021. ‘The market environment for transactions appears to be steadily improving and we received tangible indications of interest for further Wire & Cable Solutions units’, said Leoni CEO Aldo Kamper.’We will sell further units if we achieve fair value and if buyers present a viable concept.’
Knorr-Bremse’s rail automation subsidiary Selectron Systems has selected digital security company Irdeto to provide public key infrastructure for identity and authentication control on rolling stock control units and subsystems. ‘Vehicles have become internetworked, internet-connected systems on wheels, and our focus on digital security has grown to meet this challenge’, said Selectron CEO Dr Thomas Fischer. ‘The PKI solution is an important step in our ambition to set new standards for cybersecurity in the connected transport space.’
Jannet Walker-Ford has been named national transit & rail leader at consultancy WSP USA, where she will be responsible for growing business in the public transport and rail markets, developing client relationships and establishing strategy. Her previous roles have included Senior Vice-President, Transit Market Sector Leader, Americas at AECOM, and Vice-President of Government Relations at Cubic.
On February 23 the board of FS Italiane approved the issue of bonds and the use of other medium and long-term financial instruments totalling €29bn. It also decided to increase the maximum amount of the euro medium term notes programme from €7bn to €9bn. The funds raised are to be used to finance the purchase of new rolling stock and investment in high speed rail infrastructure.
Global engineering and design firm Stantec has acquired Australian transport planning and engineering firm GTA Consultants. ‘GTA adds immediate depth to our existing transportation service offerings in Australia and New Zealand, enhancing our transportation planning, advisory planning, and design capabilities in regions with significant infrastructure investment underway’, said Stantec President & CEO Gord Johnston.
As part of an ongoing growth strategy intended to enable the firm to provide engineering, construction and field service support to a wide range of rail operators, Railroad Consultants has appointed Mark Wille as Chief Operating Officer, based at its headquarters in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He previously worked for Kansas City Southern, focusing on management, writing, safety and oversight.