Expand the boundaries of possibility – stay one step ahead.

Innovation extends the available options for rail infrastructure and sets standards for future market trends. Combining optimised materials and geometries with the latest manufacturing technology guarantees railway systems' exceptional product performance and quality. 

Integration counts. The interface between track and signalling technology is optimised by fully integrated and customised switching, locking and monitoring devices. At the same time, intelligent monitoring and diagnostic systems supply relevant data for targeted maintenance operations. 

Close cooperation. We always talk to the responsible infrastructure managers about their requirements before the procurement phase. Collaborating with our customers allow us to develop a perfect, tailor-made solution for costs over the product's life. 

Digitalisation at voestalpine: our focus lies on increasing efficiency and adding customer value

Digitalisation and the targeted application of new digital technologies have been and remain a cornerstone of continued value growth and technological leadership for voestalpine. The focus is on permanently enhancing our business processes and service offerings to increase efficiency and create successive additional value for our customers. Optimised and extensively networked processes improve productivity, quality, and lead times. Driving digital interaction with customers and developing and enhancing innovative products, services, and business models are additional means of increasing customer value. 

All this is achievable by simultaneously strengthening key success factors that include: 

• information technology architecture and data security 
• relevant employee qualifications 
• cooperation with partners, and  
• developing a digital corporate culture, all of which are essential for implementing a digitalisation strategy. 

Successful digital transformation is only possible with qualified and motivated employees who actively drive the process in all Group companies and areas of operation. They are the critical success factor behind an authentic digital culture and the transformation needed to bring this about. Achieving this transformation requires IT know-how, rigorous training and continuing education such as that provided by the Digital Academy run by the High Performance Metals Division, and broad interdisciplinary cooperation, strengthened by digitalisation and helps drive innovation.

Future-orientated solutions – keeping you one step ahead.

Population growth, urbanisation and increasing levels of freight traffic are boosting the demand for high efficiency, environmentally compatible transport solutions worldwide. With voestalpine VAE, you have a competent engineering and service partner for mobility solutions planning, manufacturing, and operation.

Recasting the future.

voestalpine VAE has a proactive approach to economic, social, and environmental responsibility. The company supports the UN Global Compact (UNGC) and participates in industry policy initiatives such as Responsible Steel that focus on sustainable production. With due consideration to the growing significance of sustainability to internal and external stakeholders, in 2021, the voestalpine Group adopted a new Sustainability Strategy that defines the quantitative and qualitative targets for our contribution to a better and secure future.  

Awareness of sustainable practices - whether at the corporate, social, or political level - points to development opportunities. We want to help shape the transformation toward a more sustainable world through our processes, products, and highly qualified workforce.  

One step ahead with intelligent information for decisions on rail infrastructure. 

As the leader in railway infrastructure technology, voestalpine VAE continuously strives to improve our products for all kinds of railway applications to reach the longest possible service lives and lowest maintenance needs, even under the most challenging conditions.  

RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintenance and Safety), LCC (Life Cycle Costs) and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) are decisive terms within product development. 

The close connection between safety, reliability, availability and life-cycle costs requires increasing product optimisation. That is why voestalpine VAE conducts risks, reliability, maintainability and safety analysis of all our products aligned with EN 50126 standards. We want to minimise potential risks for people and the environment and amplify the reliability and safety of our products. 

Maintenance costs have a significant influence on life-cycle costs. As a result, rail operators globally are facing sustainability and profitability challenges. voestalpine VAE unique LCC optimised turnouts provide: 

• Minimised forces and accelerations acting on turnouts 
• Load-adjusted design of turnout components by using finite element calculations 
• Use of materials suitable for turnout components subjected to high load 
• Applying low-maintenance components to reduce maintenance and servicing.

LCC analysis – based on decades of experience and data 

To find a customised investment strategy (bringing the right products to the right place), we developed three different LCC tools enabling the customer to compare products' economic and environmental impacts and various system solutions. The tools provide our customers with transparent LCC analyses for rails and turnouts - proving that our durable, low-maintenance components lead to the lowest overall ownership costs with optimised maintenance and the best ecological figures. 

The effective combination of the tools offers a solid decision-making basis for railway engineers independently to maintain existing systems or consider investments in new systems. 

Interactive Rail LCC Tool

Combining the expertise of our engineers with our new tools, voestalpine VAE assists customers in finding the most economical and ecological product investment strategy.

Whether assessing rail grade strategies for reinvestment or greenfield projects, we provide a tailored RAMS and LCC analysis by considering all the local data and using our LCC tool.

Investing today. Securing tomorrow.

As a steel and technology group and a global leader in technology-intensive industries with the highest quality standards, research and development is the foundation of our success. Continuously growing expenditure in this field reflects the importance of R&D within the Group. By permanently investing in research and development, we ensure that our company can continue to generate new product solutions and processes over the long term.  

Our parent company coordinates all R&D activities, ensuring the best application of knowledge and resources. 

We follow a collaborative approach with our customers in the various traffic sectors (high speed, heavy haul, mixed traffic, metro, suburban traffic and tramways) to prepare solutions and optimise outcomes. 

New developments are systematically prepared for carefully planned prototype installations from the design to the testing phase. In addition, documented technical feasibility studies during the design and manufacturing stages and verification and validation form part of decisive quality assurance activities. 

voestalpine VAE is a global leader of acknowledged patents in turnouts, turnout components, electronic safety and monitoring systems and hydraulic drives.

For more information, please visit: voestalpine Research & Development