Nexans wins €7.5 million cable projects as Sao Paulo upgrades its Metro trains for the next FIFA World Cup & Olympics

Nexans, the worldwide leader in the cable industry, has been awarded contracts worth a total of Euros 7.5 million to supply its specialised FLAMEX® rail cable solutions for installation on new and refurbished rolling stock on the Sao Paulo City Metropolitan Transportation network (Companhia do Metropolitano de São Paulo – CMSP), as Brazil’s largest city upgrades its subway system for the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016.

Impression of a Sao Paolo Metro Train

Sao Paulo has a population of 11 million, while a further 9 million live in its metropolitan area. The busy subway is used by around 3.5 million people every day, and the city is making major investments (5bR$) to improve its rolling stock in readiness for the large crowds that will attend the two events.

The Nexans FLAMEX® range will provide power, control and jumper cables for new rolling stock on Line Four of the Sao Paulo subway and refurbished rolling stock on Lines One, Two, Three.

Line four: Sao Paulo’s first driverless trains

In a contract worth around 1 million Euros, Nexans has supplied cables to Hyundai Rotem in Korea for the 14 new six-car driverless trains now in operation on the newly developed Line Four of the Sao Paulo subway. This is the first time that driverless train technology has been used in Sao Paulo.

Refurbished trains for Lines One, Two, Three

In a second contract worth around 6.5 million Euros, Nexans will supply cables for the refurbishment of rolling stock running on Lines One, Two, Three and Five of the subway. A total of 98 six-car trains are being renovated by Siemens, IESA, TTrans and Tejofran. Nexans will deliver part of the cables for local installation in Brazil between 2010 and 2013.

FLAMEX® complies with all international safety standards

The Nexans FLAMEX® range covers all the product families from power to control cables, data-bus, jumpers, optical fiber and roof HV pantograph cables. FLAMEX® cables have been designed with safety in mind. They conform to all international standards, such as European (EN), French (NFF), German (VDE), British (BS) and International standards (IEC). The cables are also environmentally friendly, they are strictly Halogen free.

FLAMEX® cables resist the propagation of fire and produce low smoke emissions that are not corrosive and low in toxicity. FLAMEX® has excellent tensile strength and provides excellent mechanical resistance to abrasion, cutting forces and chemical agents. These characteristics are vital for the rolling stock industry, because in the event of a fire they will help secure the power supply for doors, ventilation, passenger announcement and data transmission systems.

“The technical capability of the Nexans FLAMEX® cable solutions, combined with the strong support provided by our local sales organization, helped win this very important contract for the Sao Paulo subway,” says Stéphane Mortelette, Nexans Global Segment Manager for Rolling Stock. “In this sector, our high level of technical support and ability to react quickly are proving crucial to success.”