Innovation Hub
Visitors to Rail Live 2019 will be able to witness the official launch of Porterbrook’s converted ‘Innovation Hub’ train.
VISITORS to Rail Live 2019 will be able to witness the official launch of Porterbrook’s ‘Innovation Hub’ train.
A converted Class 319, the ‘Innovation Hub’ has been described as effectively the missing link in the supply chain, by allowing products to be ‘fasttracked’ into a rail setting.
The concept has been developed since Porterbrook’s first ever supplier conference last year, at which attendees identified an inability to showcase products on a real train as a key obstacle to successful innovation.
Porterbrook Head of Innovation and Technical Services Chandra Morbey said of the ‘Innovation Hub’: “We were keen to make the whole process as simple and easy for suppliers as possible, so that we - and they - could focus on their ideas and innovation. Drawing on Porterbrook’s expert team of engineers, innovations were reviewed and more than 30 different innovation ideas were selected to showcase.”
Suppliers include 3M, 42 Technology, Altro, Aqueios Guard, Aura Graphics, Axminster Carpets, Birley Manufacturing, BlockDox, Blocksil, Camira Fabrics, Chrysalis, Digital Railway Ltd, ELeather, EAO, ESG Rail, Flitetrak, I M Kelly R & A Ltd, Infodev EDI, Inspiring Solutions Group, KeTech Systems, Milwaukee Composites Incorporated, Motorail, On Train, Powelectrics, Revitaglaze, Stewart Signs, Train FX, Transcal Engineering, TRB Lightweight