Seal manufacturer on track with major orders from rail giant

Greater Manchester-headquartered safety seal manufacturer Roxtec is preparing to ramp up production this year after landing multiple orders from train maker Alstom.

Roxtec says it is now supplying Alstom on several rail projects including multimillion-pound upgrades to train fleets for the West Midlands, South Western Railway and Greater Anglia.

The company has also won new orders from Alstom to supply its £100m-plus deal to deliver new trains for c2c, which operates across south Essex and east London.

Roxtec has a long-standing relationship with the rail giant, and it also supplied Bombardier Transportation, the rolling stock business that Alstom acquired in 2021.

The bespoke designed parts Roxtec is supplying Alstom include seals for the carriage-to-carriage power cables and rooftop pantograph terminal boxes. The seals serve as a barrier against water, fire, dust, moisture and oil.

The pantograph is located on the roof of the train and collects the electricity needed to power the train. Roxtec’s seals are also being used for general environmental sealing and strain relief and retention on board the trains.

Clive Sharp, Roxtec UK managing director, said the company is working closely with Alstom to create cost effective designs, including using aluminium to reduce weight.

He said: “We will see an acceleration in these rail projects in 2022 and that’s going to have a positive impact on our business as we look towards the next 12 months. It is going to be a very busy time for us.

“We are ready to step up to meet the demands from our clients. And we’re also looking at further opportunities in the sector, utilising all our rail industry experience and knowledge. We believe there are strong opportunities out there.”

Other recent key projects include heavy-duty cable seal solutions for Network Rail’s London Bridge Station, while the firm has been involved in pioneering schemes such as Crossrail’s new Elizabeth line for London and the South East, and the supply of cable and pipe seals for use within tunnels, substations, flood defences and signalling infrastructure as part of the UK’s HS2 project.

Roxtec UK has a turnover of more than £6m and a team of 20 based at its Waterfold Business Park head office in Bury.

It is the British subsidiary of the Swedish-headquartered Roxtec Group