EUROPE: The Spanish national operator’s international business RENFE Proyectos Internacionales and Spanish private equity firm Serena Industrial Partners have each acquired a 33% stake in Longitude Holdings, which was previously sole owner of Italian private operator Arenaways.
The deal was announced on November 27 and enters effect imminently.
Matteo Arena is to continue in his role as Managing Director of Arenaways and he said in a statement that ‘the experience, international know-how and solidity of the companies behind Arenaways will allow us to achieve all our objectives whilst constantly improving the quality of our offer. We have been defined as “the third national operator” but we don’t live competition in a sense of opposition: competition means great benefits for users and the whole community, because it immediately results in more choice, better services and plurality. We want to strongly reiterate what has always been our belief: the train will play a key role in the mobility of the future.’
The acquisition paves the way for RENFE to get involved in the operation of passenger services in Italy, augmenting the cross-border trains it runs between France and Spain. RENFE also holds shares in Czech private operator Leo Express which operates services in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland.
In the UK, RENFE Proyectos Internacionales and Serena Industrial Partners have been linked with involvement in Grand Union Trains’ proposed open access service between London and Wales. Serena had also been in negotiations to acquire part of French start-up Railcoop prior to its collapse.
Longitude Holdings’ other shareholders are Matteo Arena himself, infrastructure contractor Generale Costruzioni Ferroviarie, and Caronte & Tourist which operates ferries in southern Italy.
