Italy’s rail network is one of the most extensive and busiest in Europe. The Italian rail transportation sector sees large-scale investments in new capacity, enhanced safety, efficiency and customer comfort. There are investment needs in the railway, light-rail and metro rail systems, and these needs offer major opportunities for providers of equipment, technology, services and materials.  

On this background, EXPO Ferroviaria, the country’s only regular rail industry trade show grows in importance. The second edition of this biannual show in 2006 drew 303 exhibitors from 19 countries, up by 20 percent from the 2004 edition. The third edition in 2008 is expected to continue the trend.  

With heightened awareness of needs for long service lives and low maintenance costs, a growing number of the world rail transportation operators and company owners are increasingly favoring stainless steel as the rail car material over aluminum and carbon steel. A number of factors speak for stainless: besides corrosion resistance, stainless steel has high strength and toughness, and it absorbs energy well. Moreover, a stainless rail car is more safe, because stainless steel has the highest heat resistance of the material alternatives.  

Outokumpu, as a leading stainless steel producer, has a long track record in supplying the rail transportation sector including some of the main manufacturers of rail cars. In rail car bodies, Outokumpu stainless steel carries passengers in many major cities of the world such as Bangkok, Boston, Budapest, Los Angles, Melbourne and Singapore.  

Outokumpu will have its product and service specialists on hand at EXPO Ferroviaria to explain the benefits of the company products to the rail transportation sector. One of these products, specially designed for use in rail cars, is an austenitic stainless steel of type CrNi 17-7 (EN 1.4318, ASTM 301LN), ideal for structural parts where high strength and toughness are required. Outokumpu’s duplex grades are ideal for transporting materials and chemicals where high material strength and corrosion resistance are required.  

For more information on EXPO Ferroviaria, go to http://www.expoferroviaria.com.