RFI (FS Group) acquires foundries southern Bari – Il Sole 24 Ore

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This article was published on November 26, 2015 at 16:30.
The last change is the November 26, 2015 at 17:08.

RFI (Italian Railway Network, group Fs) acquires foundries southern Bari (BFM) historic factory specializing in the production of components for rail infrastructure.

The aim of the operation, according to a note of RFI is to internalize the production of railway components, expand the domestic production chain by exploiting the synergies with other factories of the group, ensure continuity of employment to about 100 workers (80 workers and 17 between middle managers and employees) of a major industrial South Italy.

This is the first acquisition of a company by RFI. The total investment is about 6.5 million Euros.
The company Bfm (Czech group DT – Výhybkárna a strojírna, as), founded in 1961, is a historic supplier for RFI of “hearts” steel molten manganese, a key component for railway points.

With the acquisition of BFM, RFI extends the internal supply chain, optimizing procurement costs and increasing its know-how.
Other manufacturing assets of Italian Railways are the workshop of Pontefract (exchanges and equipment for binaries) and Bologna (components for power supply systems and train safety systems and signaling).

Europe, in the field of railway components, specialized producers are a small slice of the market. This makes it complicated the supply of technical materials at competitive prices and time-definite and certain as to the requirements. BMF also is an arrangement by November 2014. This situation has had an impact on industrial production, due to the partial plant shutdown, and resulted in an increase in the prices of “hearts” of up to 25%.

This led RFI to tender to detect economic Bfm. In this way the Italian railway network will meet the entire demand with production costs lower than the purchase prices.

The production complex is located in the industrial Bfm Bari. The site occupies a area of ​​about 130 thousand square meters, of which about 45 thousand covered. Inside there are two plants: the foundry (about 23 thousand square meters) and the mechanical department (about 12 thousand square meters).

Currently Bari foundries southern guarantees an annual production of more than 1,800 “hearts” steel molten manganese for railway.

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