Alstom at InnoTrans 2012 - September 18

10.00 Discovery of the Alstom stand in Hall 3.2 at Messe Berlin, the congress centre in Berlin. From the morning onwards, dozens of visitors flock to the 670 square metre stand. The space is open and light, favouring meetings and discussion, and dedicated to the companys new positioning: Designing Fluidity.

An impressive model attracts everyones attention: all our trains are exhibited in miniature on an automatic circuit. Another of the stands attractions is the 3D projection room, which allows visitors to discover the Citadis Compact in relief.

12.00 The new French Minister of Transport, Frédéric Cuvillier, visits our stand followed by a crowd of photographers. Jacques Auxiette, President of the Région Pays de la Loire, takes advantage of the Ministers presence to express his satisfaction with the Citadis Dualis since its entry into service in his region in June 2011. The tram-train is also exhibited on the track outside the fair. The presence of French Regions at Innotrans is relatively recent and has been growing over the last few years.

12.30 Henri Poupart-Lafarge meets with the Spanish Minister of Transport, Ana Pastor.

13.00 A hundred journalists have been invited by Alstom to have lunch on the stand and to talk to the many experts presents.

14.30 Henri Poupart-Lafarge, who is the President of UNIFE (Union des Industries Ferroviaires Européennes), discloses with his director Philippe Citroën the latest issue of the World Rail Market Study (forecast 2012 to 2017), considered as a reference in the sector. The market trends are good and «we have every reason to be optimistic» he states.

15.30 Messe Berlin Press Centre. Journalists pack in to attend the press conference given by the President of Alstom Transport. After recalling the state of the market and the companys good financial health, Henri Poupart-Lafarge insists on the dramatic reduction in our project execution times: 21 months for Metropolis Amsterdam, 20 months for Coradia Polyvalent and 8 months for a traction system. Other records: the production of over 300 tramways and 2000 bogies each year! He concludes with a striking figure: 60% of tramways put into service in the world are built by Alstom.

18.00 End of the day, its time for the Get Together Party on the stand.

Rendez-vous tomorrow for a new Innotrans Day by Day