STANTEC announced on January 9 that it has acquired Rochester Signal Inc, specialist in railway signalling design, programme management, installation and testing for main line and light rail customers.

The transit division of Stantec provides long-range planning, design, construction and maintenance services for similar customers in the USA and Canada. 'Stantec's transportation and transit groups are extensive and well established, giving us a much deeper pool of resources to draw upon', said Rochester Signal President Robert Constantine. 'In turn, we add new expertise to Stantec.'

• CAPTION: Conductor wire manufacturer Lamifil has commissioned a second RS Upwards Vertical Casting machine at its plant in Belgium. Supplied by Scottish firm Rautomead, it produces 30 mm diameter copper-magnesium rod for traction power supply on high speed lines. Cu-Mg alloy offers a good balance of conductivity and tensile strength, but the volatile nature of magnesium and the alloy's propensity to form slag when molten complicates the manufacturing process.
• CAPTION: Rautomead has also signed a contract to supply a copper-magnesium casting machine to the Chinese subsidiary of Köln-based firm NKT Cables.