Siemens Acquires Provider of Monitoring Systems for Rail Rolling Stock and Infrastructure

Siemens acquires the MRX Technologies Group, headquartered in Perth, Australia, and is further expanding its offering in the field of predictive maintenance based on digitalization. The Group is comprised of JRB Engineering Pty Ltd., MRX Technologies Ltd., MRX Rail Services Pty Ltd. and MRX Rail Service UK Ltd. The parties agreed not to disclose financial details of the acquisition. The acquired company will be managed as a legally independent firm within the Siemens Mobility Division. Closing of the transaction is expected early in July.

The MRX Technologies Group has been offering services for manufacturers and operators of rail systems since 1996. The company has a comprehensive portfolio for the digitalized condition monitoring of rolling stock components and rail infrastructure. It delivers extensive measurement data used to optimize the maintenance of rail systems and make them more cost-efficient.

The predictive maintenance of rolling stock and rail infrastructure is gaining in importance. Operators today demand hundred-percent availability of their rolling stock and infrastructure, since failures cost money, cause delays and the annoyance of passengers, transport purchasers and freight customers. Rail operators are increasingly shifting responsibility for maintenance to the rolling stock manufacturers. As a result, orders for new rolling stock are often coupled with long-term maintenance contracts, at times extending to the end of the planned system lifecycle.

Siemens holds a leading position in the rail industry for supplying rolling stock, infrastructure and services from a single source. As the first company in the rail industry, Siemens operates a special center in Munich, Germany – the Mobility Data Services Center. Masses of data continually collected and transmitted from rolling stock and trackside equipment is analyzed in a central diagnostics system at this center. On the basis of these analyses, early forecasts of system failures are made and recommendations for acute or scheduled maintenance are sent to technicians in the Siemens depots as well as to the operators.

Keywords: Condition Monitoring, Rolling Stock, Rail Infrastructure, Rail Networks, Digitalization, ARC Advisory Group.