Nexans wins major RATP contract for specialized rail cables to upgrade paris metro and tram networks

Over a two-year contract, Nexans will supply RATP with around 4,800 km of rail cable for infrastructure and on-board installation for projects including the Grand Paris Express.

Nexans has extended its long-term partnership with RATP (the state-owned operator of the Paris public transport systems) by winning a two-year contract to supply specialized railway cables and logistics services to upgrade the fire-safety, reliability and performance of the city’s metro and tram networks. The contract will see a total of around 4,800 km of Nexans cables installed in tunnels as well as on-board rolling stock across the Île-de-France region, including the prestigious Grand Paris Express project.

Nexans will supply RATP with a variety of high-performance cables for the Paris network infrastructure. They include control, medium voltage and signaling cables, as well as a range of K20 safety cables. This range has been specially designed to improve cable life and safety levels in tunnels. All the constraints that apply in tunnels, including mechanical and physical properties, have been taken into account in the design of the cables to ensure their reliability and performance over a long service life.

In addition, in the event of fire, the halogen-free and non-flame propagating properties of the cables ensure low toxicity and reduce smoke and toxic gas emissions. These properties facilitate evacuation and maintain the continuity of critical electrical and communication circuits, making it easier for firefighters and rescue workers to respond. All cables supplied to RATP are certified in accordance with the new European RPC (Construction Products Regulation) regulations, for the recommended Euro classes.

The RATP cables are rated from low voltage (170 V) up to medium voltage (20 kV) and will be manufactured mainly at Nexans’s Mehun-sur-Yèvre factory as well as at other sites around Europe. They will be stored at the Nexans Nanterre logistics facility in Île-de-France ready for fast-track delivery to RATP projects.

Nexans’ approach to logistics is a vital element in the contract, as Olivier Gestin, Purchaser Manager at RATP explains. "The Nexans Logistics Centre in Nanterre is a key asset in ensuring that we meet our supply deadlines, since RATP projects require a lead time of around two weeks between issuing a manufacturing request and delivery to site for the most strategic cables). It also plays a vital role in providing us with a solution that fully integrates service and support. This includes accurate forecasting of the requirements for individual projects, managing stock levels and cutting cables to the correct size and delivering them to active RATP worksites.”

“This is a very important contract that reinforces our position as a leading cable supplier for RATP’s current projects,” said Jean-Luc Mastrot, Nexans Key Account Manager RATP. “It continues a long-standing working relationship that reflects the proven quality of our cables, our commitment to understanding RATP’s business and our flexibility to deliver both technical and commercial solutions to meet its specific needs. Furthermore, we are especially pleased that our cables will play a key role in RATP’s Grand Paris Express project, which will be a significant and far-reaching expansion to the Paris rail network.”

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