UK infrastructure firm Balfour Beatty has sold its 50% stake in joint venture Signalling Solutions (SSL) to French partner Alstom for an undisclosed amount.
A 50-50 joint-venture between Alstom and Balfour Beatty, SSL was established in 2007 to provide advanced signalling solutions to the rail sectors in the UK and Ireland.
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Alstom now becomes the sole owner of SSL, which is one of the major UK signalling suppliers, with 540 staff based at four main locations offering a range of services from project design to full delivery.
A Balfour Beatty spokesperson said: "The sale of our stake in the SSL joint venture is further evidence of the progress we are making as we deliver our Build to Last programme, both in simplifying the group and maintaining a strong balance sheet through self-help.
"Exiting SSL will allow our rail business to focus fully on its core expert strengths."
With this acquisition, Alstom Transport’s workforce in the UK and Ireland will be around 2,500 people.
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By GlobalDataAccording to Alstom, the business will continue to trade as SSL in the near future.
Alstom Transport signalling activity senior vice-president Pascal Cléré said: "This acquisition is part of Alstom’s signalling growth strategy and enables the company to take full benefit from its worldwide resources and capabilities.
"SSL enriches Alstom’s portfolio, both from a geographical and product standpoints."
In January 2012, SSL was selected as preferred bidder in the major signalling framework agreement launched by the UK rail infrastructure owner Network Rail (NR), making it responsible for providing signalling renewals and improvements as primary supplier in three of eight geographical regions in the country, in addition to secondary supplier in four others.
NR also awarded SSL a framework agreement to design and develop European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 using Alstom’s Atlas ERTMS technology.
SSL introduced Alstom’s Smartlock Interlocking platform to the UK, which has led to the introduction of other technologies, such as the Integr8 Modular signalling solution and Alstom’s Atlas 200 ERTMS system and Iconis Traffic Management Solution.
Image: Alstom will now be the sole owner of Signalling Solutions. Photo: courtesy of Alstom.
