Saft partners with Colas Rail to modernize Serbia’s rail trackside infrastructure

• Saft batteries selected by Colas Rail to provide backup for critical signaling and communication systems
• Nickel battery systems provide long life, low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), and high reliability in uncooled trackside cabinets

Paris, March 25^th  2021 – Saft Batteries have been chosen by Colas Rail, leader in the engineering, construction and maintenance of rail infrastructure, to provide backup for essential trackside equipment as part of a strategic modernization program for the railway infrastructure in Serbia. The batteries will be installed for Serbian Railways Infrastructure to support signaling and communication equipment along a 58-kilometer line.

Colas and its partner Energoprojekt Niskogradnja are upgrading the line on behalf of Serbian Railways Infrastructure. The project is part of an EU program to increase the speed of passenger and freight traffic running on International Railway Corridor 10, a network of lines that connect communities between the Rhine and Danube rivers.

As part of the modernization of the railway line, Saft’s batteries will provide continuous power for equipment such as sensors for track vacancy detection, interlocking, points, level crossing barriers, and signaling systems. These are essential to ensure safety for trains as well as road transport.

“Colas Rail’s teams select suppliers who act as true partners and are aware of the importance of achieving the expected performance. Saft is a regular partner of Colas Rail and we are convinced that together we will succeed in this strategic project” said Jean de La Chapelle, Colas Rail Managing and Purchasing Director.

Unlike valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries, which last up to seven years and can experience “sudden death”, nickel battery systems offer high performance and reliability over a long life, typically of 20 years or more. In addition, they require little maintenance and can withstand extreme temperatures.

“Serbian Railways Infrastructure wanted reliable backup for safe train operations at the same time as low TCO to minimize the cost of rail for the community. Saft nickel battery technology is proven to achieve both as it has provided more than 20 years of reliable operation at similar trackside installations” said Roland Knobloch, Saft’s Sales Manager for Central Europe.

Saft is supplying almost 800 batteries for the project through Goltech d.o.o Belgrade, its local partner for industrial projects. These include Saft’s two range of SBLE block as well as KPL nickel batteries all manufactured in Europe in its factories in Oskarshamn in Sweden and Raskovice in Czech Republic.

The systems that will be installed in Q2 2021 will provide backup for 7 signaling and control systems, 6 telecommunication systems and 27 track vacancy detectors.

About Saft 

Saft specializes in advanced technology battery solutions for industry, from the design and development to the production, customization and service provision. For 100 years, Saft’s longer-lasting batteries and systems have provided critical safety applications, back-up power and propulsion for our customers. Our innovative, safe and reliable technology delivers high performance on land, at sea, in the air and in space. Saft is powering industry and smarter cities, while providing critical back-up functionality in remote and harsh environments from the Arctic Circle to the Sahara Desert. Saft is a wholly owned subsidiary of Total, a leading international oil and gas company and a major player in renewables and electricity.

We energize the world.  www.saftbatteries.com

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Press Contacts

Saft

Karen Hollington, Corporate communications manager, +33 1 58 63 16 60, karen.hollington@saftbatteries.com

Dominique le Baron, Industrial standby communication manager, +33 1 58 63 16 73, dominique.lebaron@saftbatteries.com

TopLine Comms, Andrew Bartlett, +44 207 580 6502, andrew@toplinecomms.com