INNOTRANS: FirstClass Safety & Control is at InnoTrans for the first time as part of what director Mark Meyrick says is its strategy ‘to become the world leader in rail depot safety control systems’.
The UK company was formed through a management buy-out of the control systems division of Beck & Pollitzer in December 2017, and has since won orders in countries including Australia, the UAE and most recently New Zealand, where it is working with Australian partner Freightquip to design, supply and install a depot protection system at KiwiRail’s Waltham Mechanical Hub in Christchurch.
The SIL2 RFID-based DPS to be installed in the nine-road depot will include derailers, log on/off facilities and a SCADA terminal for movement control and data logging.
‘Securing our first order in New Zealand is a significant achievement’, said Meyrick. ‘Our ability to offer bespoke depot protection systems to meet the exact customer requirements was a major influence on the award of this contract. Our innovative approach to design and manufacture not only ensures the customer gets exactly what they want, rather than an off-the-shelf system, but it also makes it easier to support and manage international installations, offering future proofed solutions that guarantee protection for depot staff for many years to come.’
