Ansaldo STS
Encyclopedia
Ansaldo STS S.p.A. is a multinational
technology company which produces signalling
and automation systems for use by rail
and rapid transit
operators. The firm also acts as lead contractor and turnkey
provider on new rail developments. Headquartered in Genoa
, Italy
and controlled with a 40% stake by Finmeccanica
, the company's shares are listed on the Borsa Italiana
and have been a component of the benchmark FTSE MIB index since March 2009.
: Ansaldo Trasporti Sistemi Ferroviari, a provider of rail transit design, construction and maintenance services, and Ansaldo Signal, a provider of railway signalling
systems. Both companies had their roots in the Ansaldo
engineering conglomerate which was gradually absorbed by Finmeccanica in the latter half of the 20th century. Ansaldo Signal was formed in 1996 as a parent company
for Ansaldo's various signalling interests, which included Union Switch & Signal
of the United States
and CSEE of France
. Ansaldo Trasporti Sistemi Ferroviari was created in 2000, acquiring certain units of Ansaldo Trasporti (which had been fully integrated into Finmeccanica) the following year. The creation of Ansaldo STS was followed by a partial IPO
in March 2006. Finmeccanica has retained a 40% stake in the company since.
railway
and rapid transit
developments. Major projects involving Ansaldo STS and its predecessor companies include the Copenhagen Metro
, where it is responsible for the provision of rolling stock
, Automatic Train Control
, SCADA
and other services; and signalling on LGV Est
in France and High Speed 1 in the United Kingdom
. The company has also won contracts for signalling, train control and/or maintenance for the Metro systems of Paris
, Los Angeles
, Rome
, Milan
, Hong Kong
, Naples
, Shenyang
and Thessaloniki
.
Multinational corporation
A multi national corporation or enterprise , is a corporation or an enterprise that manages production or delivers services in more than one country. It can also be referred to as an international corporation...
technology company which produces signalling
Railway signalling
Railway signalling is a system used to control railway traffic safely, essentially to prevent trains from colliding. Being guided by fixed rails, trains are uniquely susceptible to collision; furthermore, trains cannot stop quickly, and frequently operate at speeds that do not enable them to stop...
and automation systems for use by rail
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
and rapid transit
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
operators. The firm also acts as lead contractor and turnkey
Turnkey
A turn-key or a turn-key project is a type of project that is constructed by a developer and sold or turned over to a buyer in a ready-to-use condition.-Common usage:...
provider on new rail developments. Headquartered in Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and controlled with a 40% stake by Finmeccanica
Finmeccanica
Finmeccanica S.p.A. is an Italian conglomerate. Finmeccanica is the second largest industrial group and the largest of the hi-tech industrial groups based in Italy. It works in the fields of defence, aerospace, security, automation, transport and energy...
, the company's shares are listed on the Borsa Italiana
Borsa Italiana
The Borsa Italiana S.p.A., based in Milan, is Italy's main stock exchange. It was privatised in 1997 and is a part of the London Stock Exchange Group plc since 2007. In 2005, the companies listed on the Borsa were worth US$890 billion...
and have been a component of the benchmark FTSE MIB index since March 2009.
History
The company was founded in 2006 through the merger of two companies wholly owned by FinmeccanicaFinmeccanica
Finmeccanica S.p.A. is an Italian conglomerate. Finmeccanica is the second largest industrial group and the largest of the hi-tech industrial groups based in Italy. It works in the fields of defence, aerospace, security, automation, transport and energy...
: Ansaldo Trasporti Sistemi Ferroviari, a provider of rail transit design, construction and maintenance services, and Ansaldo Signal, a provider of railway signalling
Railway signalling
Railway signalling is a system used to control railway traffic safely, essentially to prevent trains from colliding. Being guided by fixed rails, trains are uniquely susceptible to collision; furthermore, trains cannot stop quickly, and frequently operate at speeds that do not enable them to stop...
systems. Both companies had their roots in the Ansaldo
Gio. Ansaldo & C.
Ansaldo was one of Italy's oldest and most important engineering companies, existing for 140 years from 1853 to 1993.-From foundation to World War I:...
engineering conglomerate which was gradually absorbed by Finmeccanica in the latter half of the 20th century. Ansaldo Signal was formed in 1996 as a parent company
Parent company
A parent company is a company that owns enough voting stock in another firm to control management and operations by influencing or electing its board of directors; the second company being deemed as a subsidiary of the parent company...
for Ansaldo's various signalling interests, which included Union Switch & Signal
Union Switch & Signal
Union Switch and Signal was a supplier of railway signaling equipment, systems and services in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As of January 1, 2009, US&S is known as Ansaldo STS USA.-History:...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and CSEE of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Ansaldo Trasporti Sistemi Ferroviari was created in 2000, acquiring certain units of Ansaldo Trasporti (which had been fully integrated into Finmeccanica) the following year. The creation of Ansaldo STS was followed by a partial IPO
Initial public offering
An initial public offering or stock market launch, is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. It can be used by either small or large companies to raise expansion capital and become publicly traded enterprises...
in March 2006. Finmeccanica has retained a 40% stake in the company since.
Operations
The company's operations are split into two divisions: a signalling unit, which also includes train protection systems and other control measures; and transport systems, which is involved in all stages of new turnkeyTurnkey
A turn-key or a turn-key project is a type of project that is constructed by a developer and sold or turned over to a buyer in a ready-to-use condition.-Common usage:...
railway
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
and rapid transit
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
developments. Major projects involving Ansaldo STS and its predecessor companies include the Copenhagen Metro
Copenhagen Metro
Copenhagen Metro is a rapid transit system serving Copenhagen, Frederiksberg and Tårnby in Denmark. The system opened between 2002 and 2007, and has two lines, M1 and M2. The driverless light metro supplements the larger S-train rapid transit system, and is integrated with DSB local trains and...
, where it is responsible for the provision of rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
, Automatic Train Control
Automatic Train Control
Automatic Train Control is a train protection system for railways, ensuring the safe and smooth operation of trains on ATC-enabled lines. Its main advantages include making possible the use of cab signalling instead of track-side signals and the use of smooth deceleration patterns in lieu of the...
, SCADA
SCADA
SCADA generally refers to industrial control systems : computer systems that monitor and control industrial, infrastructure, or facility-based processes, as described below:...
and other services; and signalling on LGV Est
LGV Est
The LGV Est européenne is an extension to the French high-speed rail network, connecting currently Vaires-sur-Marne and Baudrecourt , and later Vaires-sur-Marne and Vendenheim . , it is the newest high-speed line in France and still under construction, with of a planned in service...
in France and High Speed 1 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The company has also won contracts for signalling, train control and/or maintenance for the Metro systems of Paris
Paris Métro
The Paris Métro or Métropolitain is the rapid transit metro system in Paris, France. It has become a symbol of the city, noted for its density within the city limits and its uniform architecture influenced by Art Nouveau. The network's sixteen lines are mostly underground and run to 214 km ...
, Los Angeles
Los Angeles County Metro Rail
Metro Rail is the rapid transit rail system consisting of five separate lines serving 70 stations in the Los Angeles County, California area. The new Expo line is due to enter service in early 2012. It connects with the Metro liner bus rapid transit system and also with the Metrolink commuter...
, Rome
Rome Metro
The Rome Metro is an underground public transportation system that operates in Rome, Italy and opened in 1955. There are currently two metro lines, the A line and the B line . A third line, the green C line, and a new branch of the B line, are currently under construction. Plans have also been...
, Milan
Milan Transportation System
The Milan transportation system is the transport network of Milan, Italy. Milan has an extensive internal transport network and is also an important transportation node in Italy, being one of the country's biggest hub for air, rail and road networks....
, Hong Kong
MTR
Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
, Naples
Metropolitana di Napoli
Metropolitana di Napoli is the metro system serving the city of Naples, Italy. The system includes three underground rapid transit lines and commuter railways , with planned upgrading and expansion work underway...
, Shenyang
Shenyang Metro
Shenyang Metro is a metro system in the city of Shenyang, Liaoning province in China. This is the the 7th operating subway system in Mainland China and the first in Northeast China.-Network:...
and Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki Metro
The Thessaloniki Metropolitan Railway , or Thessaloniki Metro , is an underground rapid transit system under construction in Thessaloniki, Greece.-The project:...
.