Latest news with #HenriPoupart-Lafarge
India Today
29-07-2025
- Business
- India Today
AI in railways to gobble up jobs? Why Alstom chief says ‘yes and no'
Will artificial intelligence (AI) run trains and metro rails and take away jobs there in the future? Like it or not, the conversation has entered the global mass-mobility community. Few would have a better perspective on this than Henri Poupart-Lafarge, the Paris-based CEO of Alstom, arguably the world's largest standalone mass-mobility company that has powered India's metro rail expansion.'AI should be everywhere [in mass mobility], both internally and externally, and so on,' Poupart-Lafarge told INDIA TODAY in an exclusive interview during a recent visit to of the questions heavily debated in the railway world is how much you can trust AI to run trains—and there is a different answer for it in France or Germany and so forth,' he said.A straight case is of deploying AI in resource allocation and operations. 'Today, you have two models to manage the traffic of a metro rail. you need to respect the timetable, and all metros will make sure they do that. That's one option,' explained Poupart-Lafarge. 'The second option is to maintain a gap of 90 seconds between two metro trains, whatever happens. So, if one is delayed, then you delay the other one by 90 seconds. With AI, metro rail networks can learn for themselves by looking at the number of people on the platform through cameras. That is whether to send a metro train immediately or wait a little bit,' he says, explaining how this will help avoid situations of one packed train followed by the next with a lot fewer people. 'So now, you can have video cameras everywhere counting the number of people on the platform, enabling traffic management.'How far are we from that future? 'Three-four years', estimates Poupart-Lafarge. Well, he should know. For Alstom is supplying coaches, signalling systems, telecommunications solutions and other components to metro systems in Delhi, Chennai, Lucknow, Kochi, Mumbai, Kanpur, Indore, Bhopal and is associated with the manufacturing of Vande Bharat train-sets and is also the maker of the Namo Bharat RRTS (Regional Rapid Transit Service) between Delhi and Meerut. It is also the Indian Railway partner for making modern, high-power freight locomotives from its factory in Madhepura, elephant in the room in every conversation on AI—future of human jobs. Will there be employment cutdowns in the industry because of AI? 'Yes and no,' said Poupart-Lafarge. 'No, because it's something that does not exist today Of course, you could say [that in the] automated metro, there is no driver. But it's relatively limited.'In Europe, AI could, in fact, solve a problem. 'In Europe, operators have difficulties in recruiting people. So, besides energy saving flexibility and so forth, one of the reasons for automation is to not have to recruit drivers, which is one of the rare resources in Europe,' said Poupart-Lafarge, adding that for India, the story could be different. 'In India, the population is very large, yet these are not the same job that one would want to keep forever.'advertisementThe experiments with intelligent automation have already started. 'We have a digitised pavilion in France. We have moved from running 13 trains per hour to 16 trains per hour. So, it's a 25 per cent increase in terms of capacity,' said Poupart-Lafarge with barely concealed excitement. The implication on railway projects, he said, was huge. 'Can you imagine 25 per cent of the cost of the high-speed line? The high-speed line was probably worth 10, 15, 20 billions... By automating, one-fourth of that to some extentSo, digitisation is absolutely essential,' he a 97-year-old entity earlier called Alsthom, employs over 12,000 people in India through its six manufacturing sites. Besides the five engineering centres, the digital experience centre in Bengaluru acts as the hub for signalling technology R&D and project deployment at varied levels for more than 120 projects in India and the Madhepura locomotive factory, high horsepower electric engines may also be exported in the future after Alstom's assured offtake commitment with Indian Railways concludes. 'One third of our global traction propulsion sets are being manufactured in Coimbatore. It's a huge factory. When we sell the metro in India, we are at 90 per cent Indian content, far above even 'Make in India' requirements,' he a monopoly emerging in the metro rolling stock market in India? Poupart-Lafarge defends Alstom's market dominance. 'There are many very good Indian companies, to be fair There is intense competition in India, so I don't think we are at all in a monopolistic situation,' he to India Today Magazine- Ends
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alstom S.A: All resolutions approved at the 10 July 2025 Combined Shareholders' Meeting
10 July 2025 – Alstom's Combined Shareholders' Meeting took place 10 July 2025, under the Chairmanship of Mr. Philippe Petitcolin, and was broadcasted live on Alstom's website. The Combined Shareholders' Meeting was an opportunity for Mr. Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Chief Executive Officer, to review the highlights of the 2024/25 fiscal year and to present a focus on Alstom's Avelia High Speed train to the Shareholders, in the presence of Mr. Jean-Pierre Farandou, CEO of SNCF group. Mr. Bernard Delpit, Chief Financial Officer, presented the financial results of the 2024/25 fiscal year, and Mr. Kevin Cogo, Chief Strategy Officer, shared developments in the Group's Climate Strategy. The Combined Shareholders' Meeting approved all the proposed resolutions, including the annual and consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025, the remuneration policies for the corporate officers and their remuneration for past year as well as all the resolutions related to the delegations of authority and financial authorizations granted to the Board of Directors. In the absence of any Board of Directors' mandate expiring at the outcome of the Combined Shareholders' Meeting, Alstom's Board of Directors remains composed of 12 Directors: Mr. Philippe Petitcolin*, who is the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Henri Poupart-Lafarge, who also serves as Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mario Orlando Campo (Director representing employees), Bpifrance Investissement*, represented by Mr. José Gonzalo, Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec, represented by Ms. Kim Thomassin, Ms. Bi Yong Chungunco*, Ms. Clotilde Delbos*, Ms. Sylvie Kandé de Beaupuy*, Mr. Claude Mandart (Director representing employees), Mr. Baudouin Prot*, Ms. Sylvie Rucar* and Mr. Jay Walder*. The Board of Directors also includes an Observer, Mr. Edouard Ringuet. The Board of Directors is composed of 50% women and 80% independent Directors**. *Independent Director**Excluding Directors representing employees and the Observer ALSTOM™ and Avelia™ are trademarks of the Alstom Group. About Alstom Alstom commits to contribute to a low carbon future by developing and promoting innovative and sustainable transportation solutions that people enjoy riding. From high-speed trains, metros, monorails, trams, to turnkey systems, services, infrastructure, signalling and digital mobility, Alstom offers its diverse customers the broadest portfolio in the industry. With its presence in 63 countries and a talent base of over 86,000 people from 184 nationalities, the company focuses its design, innovation, and project management skills to where mobility solutions are needed most. Listed in France, Alstom generated sales of €18.5 billion for the fiscal year ending on 31 March 2025. For more information, please visit Contacts Press:Philippe MOLITOR - Tel.: +33 (0) 7 76 00 97 Thomas ANTOINE - Tel.: +33 (0) 6 11 47 28 60 Investor relations:Cyril GUERIN – Tel: +33 (0) 6 07 89 36 Guillaume GAUVILLE – Tel : +44 (0) 75 88 02 27 Estelle MATURELL ANDINO – Tel: +33 (0) 6 71 37 47 Jalal DAHMANE – Tel : +33 (0) 6 98 19 96 Attachment 20250710_PR_AGM_EN
Daily Mirror
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Huge £715m deal could see speedy double-decker trains travel from UK to France
After securing contracts worth more than £700 million, French manufacturer Alstom wants to run double-decker, high-speed trains from London to France - but will it happen anytime soon? Ambitious plans to run double-decker trains that can travel 300km an hour through the Channel Tunnel may soon become a reality. Plagued by constant delays, cancellations, and expensive fares - it's safe to say the UK's railways are in desperate need of a makeover. But, being sardined on crammed carriages may soon be a distant memory, as Alstom, a French manufacturer specialising in locomotives, is in talks to use its new Avelia Horizon trains to ramp up journeys across Europe. Chief executive Henri Poupart-Lafarge says its new fleet could lower fares and increase capacity in the undersea Channel Tunnel, which connects the UK to France. "The double-decker train has a lot of advantages. It's a very high-speed train with the lowest cost per seat and the highest capacity," he told the Financial Times. Alstom has already signed an €850 million (around £715 million) contract to provide and maintain 12 of its double-decker trains for a Proxima, a private operator in France - as well as France's state-owned company The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (SNCF). However, deliveries have reportedly faced numerous delays and are now not expected until 2026. New trains running through Eurostar's services will also need to be approved by the operate - which could take 'some years'. Trains carrying passengers from London to mainland Europe through the Channel Tunnel will also need to seek approval by regulators to make sure they adhere to strict safety rules. "The Avelia Horizon brings the experience of visiting the lounge car to a new level. A specific focus has been put on light management and passengers will enjoy the latest innovations in terms of connectivity," Alstom states on its website. "The train is easily accessible with the widest doors at the European platform level. Its articulated architecture provides a smooth and safe ride with less noise and vibrations." The new announcement comes just months after Virgin Group made a punt to apply for access to the Temple Mills depot in north-east London. In a huge victory for Sir Richard Branson's company, a report conducted by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) found: "There is some available capacity at Temple Mills International (TMI) depot for more trains to be stabled, serviced and maintained." As previously reported, the investigation also found the depot can comfortably handle 15 of Eurostar's 400-metre-long trains. However, the depot could squeeze up to 20 if needed and on average, Eurostar uses six to 10 of its depot slots for trains, and currently some extra space for decommissioned trains. "Finally a green signal for competition," hailed a Virgin Group spokesperson. "The Temple Mills depot is the only facility in the UK which can accommodate European-style trains and claims suggesting it was at capacity have been blocking Virgin from coming to the line. "Virgin is therefore very pleased with the outcome and we thank the ORR for commissioning this report, which will now unlock competition on the cross-Channel route for the benefit of all passengers. There are no more major hurdles to overcome, and Virgin is ready to take up the challenge, given its award-winning experience in the train industry and track-record for building globally successful travel brands." Eurostar 'welcomed' the independent study by the ORR, arguing 'major maintenance work' and 'investment' would be needed to meet the growing demands of international rail. "The options presented in the report could help create some capacity, but this would not be enough to accommodate the stated ambitions of any single operator. This includes the three organisations who have applied to the regulator and the needs of Eurostar itself," they added. "Eurostar has complied fully with the regulatory process and will continue to do so. This is in advance of any train orders being placed – and years ahead of those trains being built and needing to access Temple Mills. We believe the conversation now needs to move beyond the inadequate space within the existing depot to look at the bigger picture. Capacity constraints have always been a challenge – whether in stations, at the borders or on-board trains. For 30 years, Eurostar has successfully found new solutions, working closely with stakeholders, and always with our customers in mind."
Metro
15-05-2025
- Business
- Metro
Eurostar in talks over double-decker train service on cross-Channel route
Cross-Channel journeys could soon reach dizzying new heights and become cheaper for passengers, as Eurostar eyes an exciting upgrade to its service. French rolling stock manufacturer Alstom announced plans to begin supplying the company with double-decker trains for routes between London and key Europe destinations including Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels. While no exact details have been confirmed just yet, the proposal promises high-speed trains with the 'lowest cost per seat and the highest capacity'. And if all goes ahead as planned, they could be on the rails in just a few years' time. It's great news for travellers, with Chief Executive Henri Poupart-Lafarge explaining that the trains will have a top speed of 350km/h — 50km/hr faster than the current Eurostar. As for seat prices, these are also likely to come down, making plane-free European trips more accessible than ever for Brits. In an interview with Financial Times, Poupart-Lafarge claimed that although he couldn't comment on specific business discussions, Alstom has been in talks with a number of operators in regards to these routes. And while the firm has already teamed up with SNCF, France's national railway operator and Eurostar's majority owner, to provide new trains, he said: 'Whether it's Eurostar or other competitors, we'll see.' In terms of timescales, Poupart-Lafarge added that it could take 'some years' before they are up and running. This is largely due to the fact all London to mainland Europe trains need to be approved by regulators who ensure the trains comply with the Channel Tunnel's strict safety rules covering dangerous goods, security measures and emergency response. Poupart-Lafarge noted that further delays could be caused by the sheer demand for Alstom's twin-deck model, the Avelia Horizon, which is due to launch next year. With more than 100 orders to fill across Europe, it could come down to a 'first come, first served' basis. As passenger demand for international rail travel continues to grow – and new companies are set to give Eurostar competition – experts predict that travellers could see a significant reduction in fares. Just how much exactly remains unknown but currently experts are anticipating a 30% drop. According to Eurostar's website, a standard one-way ticket from London to Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Lille or Rotterdam starts from £39 – a 30% reduction would bring that fare down to around £27 (£11.70 less). For Eurostar Plus, where tickets start from around £70, a 30% discount would reduce the price by £21 for £49 tickets. A Eurostar representative confirmed to The Telegraph that the double-decker design is 'a possibility' for the operator's future, as it looks to purchase 50 new trains by the end of 2025. It could be in for some stiff competition though. With talks of Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group joining the mix of Channel Tunnel rail providers, it would mark the end of Eurostar's 30-year reign on the track.. A spokesperson for Virgin Group also said it's considering double-decker trains, but wouldn't comment on whether it has committed to any specific model. Regardless, Eurostar is expecting an increase in passages over the next five years, with a recent report revealing its ambitions of serving 30 million travellers annually by 2030. This is a marked rise even when compared to the record 19.5 million passengers it carried last year. It's an exciting time for rail services, with plans for a cross-channel expansion, driven by London St Pancras High Speed (which recently rebranded from HS1). More Trending The company shared in February that it aims to offer direct rail routes to major cities in Germany, Switzerland, and France. A spokesperson told Metro: 'Market research from Eurotunnel demonstrated that customer demand for new destinations is clear and real: for Germany, specifically Köln and Frankfurt, Switzerland, Geneva and Zurich, and the South of France, for Marseille and Bordeaux.' In April, Italy's national state-owned railway company, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS Group), also revealed plans to launch a new high-speed rail service between London and Paris by 2029. The group, which is a co-owner of Avanti West Coast, could then extend the route to Marseilles, Lyon and Milan. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: The European airport that takes you to three countries at once MORE: Ryanair beware, a new UK airline is about to take off MORE: Baby Elsa update: Police narrow down search for parents of abandoned baby to 400 homes in east London
Zawya
07-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Egypt's President, Alstom chief discuss localization of railway industry, public transport expansion
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi met on Sunday with Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Chairperson of French transport giant Alstom, to discuss the company's ongoing transportation projects in Egypt and explore avenues for deeper industrial cooperation. The meeting was held in the presence of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Vice Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, Lieutenant General Kamel Al-Wazir. According to Presidential Spokesperson Mohamed El-Shenawy, the talks focused on Egypt's efforts to localize the railway industry, with an emphasis on enhancing local manufacturing capabilities and supporting regional exports. A key highlight of the discussion was the development of Alstom's new industrial complex in Borg El Arab City. The facility will house two factories—one dedicated to producing electrical systems and railway components, and the other focused on manufacturing various types of rolling stock. The complex is designed to serve Egypt's domestic needs while establishing the country as a regional production hub for the Middle East and Africa. The meeting also reviewed progress on major mass transit projects, including Cairo Metro Line 6, which is a core part of Egypt's sustainable urban transport strategy. Updates were shared on ongoing coordination for the operation and maintenance of the East and West Nile monorail lines, another vital component of the country's push toward green and efficient mobility. President Al-Sisi reaffirmed the state's commitment to completing all transportation projects on schedule, stressing the importance of aligning implementation with Egypt's broader vision for modernizing infrastructure, enhancing public transport services, and localizing key industries.
