i-Trans builds on combined strengths

Permanent staff with a proven record of success in structuring and implementing innovative business projects

50 participating businesses ranging from industry majors to start-ups, together employing 15,000 people including 600 researchers

23 research and training organizations with 1,800 researchers and 2,000 students in transport-related fields, among them INRETS (French National Institute for Transport and Safety Research), CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research), the University of Valenciennes and the University of Technology at Compiègne.

The industrial and scientific competencies of the Nord-Pas de Calais and Picardy regions in logistics, rail, automobiles and intelligent transport systems. Nord-Pas de Calais also hosts the European Railway Agency, headquartered in Valenciennes, while France's national rail safety body, Etablissement Public de Sécurité Ferroviaire, is based in Picardy's capital, Amiens.

Services backing industrial innovation

i-Trans makes a range of services available to support innovation in rail and other land-transport industries in Northern France.

These include in particular:

Support for structuring of business projects using a toolbox

Advice from internationally-recognized experts on the relevance of projects, on the quality of structuring and on medium-term industry trends around the world

Identification of reliable partners, risk analysis and control

Assistance in obtaining subsidies and other public support to finance innovation, training and backup projects

Technology and business watch with special attention to cutting-edge sectors

Advice on intellectual property rights with the assistance of a specialized consultancy belonging to a Europe-wide network.

Priorities for action

Interoperability of rail networks, e.g., in high-speed intercity services

Intermodality in freight and passenger transport

Intelligent transport systems

Innovation driving economic development

Varied sectors of business and industry

Rail: manufacture of rolling stock, infrastructure equipment, services, operation and maintenance (e.g., development of composite structures for rail infrastructure and innovative intercirculation gangways)

Automobiles: vehicle equipment (e.g., new security features and low-noise design)

Guided transport systems: trams, metros, etc.

Port operation and logistics: logistics chain and multimodality

Services: information and communications technology, intelligent travel

Fundamental research and advanced technology

Materials science

Structures for vehicles, components and infrastructure

Passive, active and integrated safety

Acoustics and vibration mechanics (e.g., development of materials limiting acoustic dispersion)

Operational safety and predictive maintenance

On-board IT, communications equipment and satellite positioning (e.g., passenger information for multi-modal connections, tourism, entertainment, electronic ticketing and more)

Energy savings and sustainability

Logistics (e.g., freight traceability, network of multimodal logistics platforms in Nord-Pas de Calais)