AusRAIL, Market Sectors

AusRAIL PLUS 2013 Live: Tuesday November 26

<span class="" id="parent-fieldname-description"> Welcome to the Rail Express live blog from AusRAIL PLUS 2013. We’ll be updating this page between 9am and 5pm AEST. Refresh the page to check for updates! </span> <p><strong>9.22am:</strong>&nbspGood morning everyone, and welcome to our live blog at AusRAIL PLUS 2013. It’s an exciting day today and we aim to update the blog throughout day one of the conference, keeping our readership across the latest developments of what is shaping up to be the biggest conference in the southern hemisphere. <br /><br />Feel free to add any comments below or tweet us:&nbsp<a href="http://twitter.com/RailExpressNews"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em">@RailExpressNews</strong></a></p><hr /><p><strong>&nbsp9.30am: </strong>Brand new rail research centre launched from AusRAIL. The Australasian Centre for Rail Research (ACRI) will ensure that the legacy of the CRC for Rail Innovation continues on after the CRC ceases next year and that innovation and strong research outcomes continue to be delivered to the OZ rail industry.</p><hr /><p><strong>10.00am:</strong>&nbspCEO of ARTC John Fullerton says&nbsp<span style="line-height: normal">OZ freight rail industry has never been in a better state as it is now.<br /></span>“Freight rail sector poised for more positive outcomes,” Fullerton said.<br />Great news for Australia’s historically poor performing North South corridor.<br />“We are seeing the early signs of modal shift on the corridor,” Fullerton said, largely attributable to improved infrastructure and better train equipment.<br />Fullerton was speaking from the CEO Forum: The importance of R&ampD in shaping rail business.&nbsp</p><hr /><p><strong>10.15am:</strong>&nbspThe CEO forum continues, as Sydney Trains boss, Howard Collins, says the key to good development for the rail industry will be the the successful combination of innovative minds and &quotreal rail experience.&quot</p><p>Lisa Stabler, meanwhile, described how the rail industry needs to compete with roads by working, through research and development, to improve the safety, efficiency and reliability of rail.</p><p>And John Fullerton and Sir David Higgins are in aggreance on one key issue: &quotthere’s no such thing as a good level crossing.&quot</p><hr /><p><strong>11.15am:</strong>&nbspThe World Congress on Railway Research presentations are underway, as Peter Skinner describes his team’s work into urban railway station access.</p><hr /><p><strong>11.55am:</strong>&nbspThe second presentation in the WCRR series sees SNCF’s Yann Riffonneau taking delegates through the concept of energy storage. He explains how energy storage can improve consistency and reliability of plant, and goes through several potential ways in which energy can be stored in the rail industry. SNCF’s tools allow for evaluation and sensibility studies in various scenarios, for those looking to invest in energy storage equipment.</p><hr /><p><strong>12.20pm:&nbsp</strong>Senior Risk Analyst at RSSB from London, UK, Jay Heavisides, tells the WCRR delegates about the importance of safety performance indicators (SPIs) in heavy industry. RSSB has put together a guidance document for organisations to assess their SPIs. Heavisides emphasises that RSSB’s document is not a checklist, but is rather the results of a study into SPIs, and their uses in heavy industry.<br />&nbsp</p><hr /><p><strong>12.23pm:</strong> The Rail Express Stand at AusRAIL. If you’re here come and say hello and pick up some free magazines. We’re at stand 13 in Hall 1. <br /><br /><img width="350" height="153" src="http://i.imgur.com/uVWclrM.jpg" alt="" /></p><hr /><p><strong>2.03pm: </strong>Live from RSNA Afternoon Technical Stream, according to Austrade’s Peter Ironmonger, Australian rail has massive capabailities, smarts and advantages that can be exported o/s including our ‘brand’ in heavy haul and resources.<br />Plenty of help on hand from Austrade, Austrade staff at AusRAIL for more info.<br />Updates to follow on key markets overseas where OZ rail capabilities can be leveraged such as Thailand, India, UAE and GCC.</p><hr /><p><strong>2.15pm:</strong>&nbspThe exhibition hall has been filling up with people over the last couple of hours. Here are some shots from Informa’s Charles Macdonald from the floor!</p><p><img align="middle" src="http://i.imgur.com/q8mkjO4.jpg" alt="" /></p><p><img align="middle" src="http://i.imgur.com/i73c5sR.jpg" alt="" /></p><p><img align="middle" src="http://i.imgur.com/Lzzo9XF.jpg" alt="" /></p><hr /><p><b>224pm: </b>Austrade’s Peter Ironmonger and RSNA’s Garry Whiting shared with delegates info on Austrade’s Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) scheme – a key Australian Government financial assistance program for aspiring and current exporters.<br />Important for OZ rail suppliers to know this scheme exists as it encourages SMEs to develop export markets and reimburses 50% of eligible export promotion expenses. For more information see: <a href="http://Austrade’s Peter Ironmonger and RSNA’s Garry Whiting shared with delegates info on Austrade’s Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) scheme – a key Australian Government financial assistance program for aspiring and current exporters. Important for OZ rail suppliers to know this scheme exists as it encourages SMEs to develop export markets and reimburses 50% of eligible export promotion expenses. For more information see www.austrade.gov.au/Export/Export-Grants " target="_blank">www.austrade.gov.au/Export/Export-Grants&nbsp</a></p><hr /><p><strong>2.30pm: </strong>According to Austrade’s Ankur Bhatia, there is currently massive rail development occurring in India which have given rise to plenty of opportunities for Australian rail companies. Boom in India includes AU$4bn investment in the country’s Dedicated Freight Corridor project AU$27bn investment in urban metro projects along with rail expansion and modernisation program including 500km new lines, 750km doubling tracks and 450km gauge conversion.</p><hr /><p><strong>2.47pm: </strong>Meanwhile, investing in our nation’s future engineers is investing in the future of our rail industry, according to ARA CEO Bryan Nye.<br />With this in mind, 8 engineering students from the University of Wollongong and the University of Western Sydney arrived at AusRAIL PLUS today to ‘Meet a Rail Engineer – and&nbspindustry led initiative developed by the ARA whereby engineering students are provided with a unique opportunity to spend quality time with a practicing rail engineer, with the aim to inspire and attract future engineers to rail.&nbsp<br />ARA members volunteered their top rail engineers to mentor and guide the six students at AusRAIL PLUS where they visited exhibitors, answered engineering related questions and highlighted the benefits of applying their skills to the rail industry.<br />Participating industry companies in the ‘Meet a Rail Engineer’ initiative are Australian Rail Track Corporation, Bombardier, Brookfield Rail, Downer Rail, John Holland, Leighton and Pacific National.</p><hr /><p>&nbsp</p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em"><strong>2.57pm: </strong>Network Rail’s Nigel Ash tells delegates at the Afternoon Technical Stream that there are plenty of opportunities for Australian rail manufacturers to supply to Network Rail which Network Rail which owns an operates Britain’s infrastructure.<br /></span><span style="line-height: 1.5em">With an annual capital spend of 3.</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em">4.5 billion pounds, Ash says that Network Rail has a fairly liberal, open-access market which makes it easier for OZ rail companies to break into the market.<br />See: &nbsp</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em"><a href="http://www.achilles.com" target="_blank">www.achilles.com</a> and </span><a href="http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/4251.aspx ">www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/4251.aspx </a>for current tenders.</p><hr /><p><strong>3.03pm:&nbsp</strong>What is the fastest growing rail region in the world?<br />By far, it is the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.<br />According to UAE trade commissioner, Said Metwalli, who is currently breifing delegates on opportunities for OZ rail companies in the UAE as part of AusRAIL Technical Streams, the GCC is a cluster of countries with an average GDP growth of 4.3% which are experiencing a massive rail boom.<br />With a budget of US$100bn, over 10,000km of track will be built in the next 6 years, with 108,000 new rail staff by the end of the decade.<br />For more information on opportunities, check out the Middle East Rail Conference, 4-5 February 2014, Dubai, UAE, will be which is the next major rail event in the region.&nbspAll key rail decision makers, operators vendors and rail industry representatives will be present.</p><hr /><p><strong>3.20pm: </strong>Saudi Arabia is in contrast to other countries in the region in that it’s vision for rail is not aspirational, Austrade’s Said Metwalli continues. Saudi’s motto is, ‘It needs rail and it needs it now.&quot<br />With Saudi set to become one of, if not the, top exporter of minerals in the coming years, is is currently experiencing a significant boom across freight rail, along with urban rail.<br />Notable projects include the 2750km North South Railway, the Mecca metro, the Haramain 450km high-speed rail network and the Saudi Land Bridge.<br />Any OZ rail company that wants to know more about opportunities in Saudi Arabia and other countires in the region, Austrade has published a GCC rail report. Email Peter Ironmonger for further details: peter.ironmonger@austrade.gov.au&nbsp</p><hr /><p><strong>3.31pm: </strong>Closer to home and Thailand is another country in Asia where rail is booming. According to Austrade Thailand’s Acharaporn Suddhachitta, a total of AU$66bn will be invested in Thailand’s infrastracture Development Program which will be completed by 2020.<br />Encouragingly, rail definitely has the lion’s share of the budget and from&nbspfreight to urban, metro and high-speed, the Government of Thailand has a mighty rail vision.<br />Key is modernisation and rehabilitation of existing lines, along with the construction of four new high speed lines covering 1,447km at the speed of 250 km/h and double tracking 767km rail lines.<br />The government also wants to increase rail freight’s modal share from 2% to 8% by 2020.&nbspAustrade predicts a number of opportunities for Australian rail companies.&nbsp</p><hr /><p><strong>5.18pm:</strong> And that’s a wrap for us, folks. It’s been a busy day with the many sessions, streams and interviews, and we hope that you enjoyed the highlights via our live blog. Thanks for spending time with us today we hope you’ll now excuse us as we scuttle off and put our feet in the biggest bucket of ice we can find after doing a few laps of the monstrously big rail exhibition! <br /><br />We’ll be back just after 9am tomorrow morning to cover all the news, announcements and excitement from day two. Have a good night!</p><hr /><p>&nbsp</p><p>&nbsp</p><p>&nbsp</p><p>&nbsp</p><p><strong>&nbsp</strong></p><p>&nbsp</p>