GCRE offers ‘unique’ opportunity to showcase donated technology as part of site construction

GCRE to highlight ‘Railway Asset Showcase Opportunity’ in February briefing event in London

The Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) plans to invite partners from across the rail industry to take part in a ‘unique’ opportunity to showcase their donated innovations and assets as part of the construction of its new site.

GCRE is a major new rail innovation facility being built in south Wales over the next two years. When it opens in 2025, the facility will provide world class research, testing and certification of rolling stock, infrastructure and innovative new technologies that will fill a strategic gap not just in UK rail, but across Europe.

In the search for donations, GCRE Ltd is offering the rail supply chain the opportunity to showcase products and technologies by including these in the GCRE build, as the facility is constructed over the next two years, and to GCRE’s future customers as the site positions itself as an international showcase for the best in railway innovation.

The GCRE team has developed a list of asset requirements and is planning a briefing event on 8th February to talk to the supply chain about the distinctive railway asset showcase opportunity.

At this stage GCRE Ltd is interested to offer the opportunity to organisations to provide assets to the build at zero cost.

Chief Executive Simon Jones said: “Over the next decade, we want the Global Centre of Rail Excellence to become Europe’s premier site for research, testing and innovation. We believe it fills an urgent gap in rail and will attract customers from across the UK and Europe.

“As we begin to construct the site we intend to offer partners from across the rail industry a truly unique opportunity to embed their technologies and innovations in our build as it progresses.

“The GCRE team has developed a list of asset requirements that it is looking to include in the construction and we want to talk to key partners about the opportunity to showcase donated products as we construct the facility.

“For innovators and the supply chain it offers the chance to demonstrate ideas and technologies in a live railway environment. For GCRE it helps us build in to the site the very latest, cutting edge innovations and secure assets to the build at zero cost.”

The GCRE team will be outlining details of the Railway Asset Showcase Opportunity at an event in London on Wednesday 8th February.

The event will be held at 12noon, at the Rail Industry Association Offices (RIA).

The event will include a presentation of the GCRE showcase opportunity and the chance for one-to-one discussions with the team.

Those wishing to register for the briefing event can do so by clicking here: Railway Asset Showcase Event Registration – GCRE.

Backed by the Welsh and UK Governments, the Global Centre of Rail Excellence has attracted significant interest from across the rail industry.

Simon Jones added: “It isn’t often, when a major new piece of rail infrastructure is being constructed, that innovators and the rail supply chain get the chance to embed new technologies and assets in the build. With this competition, we will give people that very chance.

“We want to hear from partners who can offer up innovative technology for free to embed in our new facility – from rail systems equipment such as track and signalling to data and communication technology; plant and machinery and much more.

“We want to hear from a range of suppliers about what’s possible. This really is one of the most creative offers out there in rail today.

“Demonstration of products, services and systems will be one of GCRE’s future business lines. Once we are operational this opportunity for permanent installation at no cost to the supplier will be unavailable.”

Photo credit: GCRE

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