Rail supplier news from LTK, CAF, Balfour Beatty and Keolis (July 5)

NDYLTK Rail has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of LTK Engineering Services and has changed its name to LTK Australia Pty. Ltd. In 2011, LTK Engineering Services and Norman Disney & Young (NDY) established a partnership to offer rail engineering services for clients in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Africa. NDY was recently acquired by another firm, which gave LTK the opportunity to purchase NDYLTK outright, company officials said in a press release. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Spanish rolling stock manufacturer CAF has signed an agreement to acquire Polish bus and tram maker Solaris Bus & Coach S.A. The move is aimed at making the CAF Group a market leader in the bus segment and opening new opportunities for the company's urban rail business in Central and Eastern Europe. The acquisition also will provide an opportunity to enter and grow in "new mobility-related areas," CAF officials said in a press release. Solaris has an estimated enterprise value of more than $350 million.

Balfour Beatty has launched a rail innovation center at its Raynesway facility in Derby, England. The dedicated research, development and testing facility will help support the company's efforts to develop the "digital railway" and increase safety and reliability across the United Kingdom and overseas, Balfour Beatty officials said in a press release. The new center will bring together the company's expertise in systems engineering, computer science, robotics, data analytics, electronics, and electrical and mechanical engineering. The facility also will be home to the latest developments in measurement systems, predict-and-prevent technology, signaling and data science, company officials said.

Keolis Commuter Services, which operates the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) commuter-rail system, this week graduated 16 new assistant conductors. The new assistant conductors participated in an eight-week program that trains new crews on customer service, railroad safety and the commuter-rail network and facilities. Keolis now employs 423 conductors, marking a 21 percent increase over three years, company officials said in a press release. Hiring more conductors is expected to help Keolis improve service. For instance, having more staff on hand allows for easier and faster boarding at stations, company officials said in a press release.