Financial year ending 31st March

For the 2001/2002 financial year taken as a whole (year ending 31st March), the Faiveley Group achieved a consolidated turnover of €281.7 million, an increase of 16.2% compared to the previous financial year. 

In the 4th quarter (the period from 1st January to March 31st 2002), the consolidated turnover increased by 4.6% compared to the same period of the previous financial year. The Plastics Division, which experienced a difficult third quarter following the events of 11th September, returned to a level of activity more in line with forecasts. For its part, the Rail Division enjoyed growth of 3.6%, but it should be remembered that the 4th quarter of the 2000-2001 financial year had been exceptionally buoyant, accounting alone for 35% of the annual turnover.

The group's order book on 31st March 2002 totalled €339 million, representing more than one year of turnover.

The last quarter saw a significant amount of new business, bringing with it excellent visibility of the future turnover situation:

• The Rail Division : signature of major contracts in France and abroad for each of the major activities

- Air conditioning: in France, order received for the AGC programme (high-capacity automatic railway system for the SNCF) concerning 117 trains. In Germany: order for InterCity trains for the Deutsche Bahn, concerning 200 coaches, and in Great Britain orders for Midland Main Line for 127 trains.

- Doors: new contracts in Great Britain, also with Midland Main Line (127 trains) in Sweden for the C 21 project, and in Singapore for the Marina Line project.

- Electronics: an order in Great Britain (Govia project) to equip 700 coaches of south London's rail network with a video surveillance system (the largest order booked by the group in this particular activity) and in Austria, with a contract with the OBB network to supply anti-skid devices for 250 coaches.

- Pantographs: in France: order for the new generation of TER 2N (double-decker regional express trains) and for the TGV Duplex (also double-decker).

• The Plastics Division : the cosmetics activity (VPI subsidiary) has consolidated its position in the "top of the range" client market with new orders for the Catalan Puig Group (Paco Rabanne and Nina Ricci) and the Clarins Group (Laboratoires Clarins and Thierry Mugler Parfums). The ball bearing housings activity (SEPAL subsidiary) booked its first order for the aeronautical sector (supplying roller bearing housings).

In line with the indications previously announced, Faiveley is anticipating a significant increase in earnings for the 2001/2002 financial year.

The group will present its annual results for the 2001/2002 financial year at a SFAF meeting on 24th June 2002.

Faiveley’s business activities focus on two high technology areas:
- the rail sector: design and production of equipment systems (air conditioning, electronic doors and platform screen doors, on-board electronics, pantographs, etc.).

- the plastics sector: injection of complex parts (ball bearing housings, cosmetic sticks, etc.).
Highly international in nature, the group achieves more than two-thirds of its turnover outside France, via an international network comprising among others subsidiaries in Europe, the United States, Brazil and Asia (China and Hong Kong).

The group’s strategy is to strengthen its position as a leader in the rail equipment sector and to continue to expand the plastics business, which is perfectly complimentary as it is less capital intensive in terms of operation, and is subject to much shorter business cycles.

With 1,750 employees, in 2001/2002 the group achieved a turnover of €282 million.