Centre d'essais ferroviaires
| Company type | Société Anonyme |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railway rolling stock manufacturing, engineering |
| Predecessor | Compagnie Belge pour la Construction de Machines et de Matériels de Chemins de Fer |
| Founded | 1859 |
| Founder | Charles Evrard |
| Fate | Acquired by Alstom (French plant) in 1982; Belgian branch became Société Anglo-Franco-Belge (SAFB) in 1927, ceased operations 1968 |
| Headquarters | Raismes (French plant) , France, Belgium |
Area served | France, Belgium, Europe, Africa, Asia, South America |
Key people | Charles Evrard (founder), Gilbert Bostsarron (SAFB director) |
| Products | Railway locomotives, passenger coaches, freight wagons, metros, trams, double-deck trains |
Number of employees | 1350 (2009) |
| Parent | Alstom (from 1982 for French plant) |
The Société Franco-Belge was an engineering company operating across France and Belgium, specializing in the manufacture of railway vehicles and related parts. It originated in 1859 as the Belgian enterprise Compagnie Belge pour la Construction de Machines et de Matériels de Chemins de Fer, established by Charles Evrard. In 1881, the firm's capital was increased to form the Société Anonyme Franco-Belge pour la Construction de Machines et de Matériel de Chemins de Fer, accompanied by the establishment of a manufacturing plant in Raismes (Valenciennes), France.
In 1927, the company divided into two distinct entities: the Belgian branch became Société Anglo-Franco-Belge (SAFB), while the French branch retained the name Société Franco-Belge.
During World War I, the factories were occupied and repurposed for sawmill operations; in World War II, production shifted to Kriegslokomotive locomotives. SAFB merged with Ateliers Germain in 1964 but ceased operations in 1968 due to shrinking market demand.
The French Franco-Belge plant located in Raismes was acquired by Alstom in 1982. As of 2012, the Alstom Petite-Forêt, Valenciennes facility functions as a subsidiary specializing in metros, trams, and double-deck train manufacturing. Additionally, a dedicated testing track known as the Centre d'Essais Ferroviaire is situated to the west of the Raismes factory.
History
In 1859, Charles Evrard combined his Ateliers Charles Evrard (Brussels) with Parmentier Freres et Cie. from La Croyère, Belgium, forming the Compagnie Belge pour la Construction de Machines et de Matériels de Chemins de Fer by 1862 with an initial capital of one million francs. Evrard took on the role of director. The company showcased locomotives, passenger coaches, iron freight wagons, and steam-powered rail cranes at the 1867 Paris Exposition.
By 1881, operations at the Brussels facility were halted and equipment relocated to reduce urban pollution. Subsequently, the Société Anonyme Franco-Belge pour la Construction de Machines et de Matériel de Chemins de Fer was founded with an eight million franc capital investment supported by Banque franco-égyptienne. A new factory was inaugurated in Raismes, France to circumvent French protectionist policies; initially assembling components manufactured in Belgium. The enterprise produced a full range of railway rolling stock. Charles Evrard passed away in 1896.
Renamed by 1911 as Société Franco Belge de Matérial de Chemins de Fer, the firm manufactured locomotives, passenger carriages, and specialized freight wagons destined for Belgian railways, private French lines, and exports to Spain, Portugal, various European nations, China, Turkey, Indochina, Africa, and South America.
Prior to 1914, Belgian interests dominated management; after 1914 ownership shifted toward French investors based in Paris. The company’s production capacity included approximately fifty locomotives and over fifteen hundred carriages and wagons each year. During German occupation in World War I, the Raismes factory resisted orders to perform repair work and instead operated as a sawmill.
In 1927, operations split along national lines: the Belgian site at La Croyère became known as Société Anglo-Franco-Belge (SAFB), receiving British investment and focusing on manufacturing metal and wooden transportation equipment. The French branch continued under the name Franco-Belge.
Société Anglo-Franco-Belge (1927-64)
In 1939, SAFB expanded by acquiring two metalworking plants located in Seneffe and Godarville (Chapelle-lez-Herlaimont), both situated within Belgium's Hainaut region. Throughout World War II, the firm manufactured in excess of 100 locomotives for the Deutsche Reichsbahn and carried out extensive repair services. The company’s director, Gilbert Bostsarron, actively participated in the French resistance, orchestrating allied sabotage efforts targeting the factory; he was eventually captured and executed in 1944.
Following the war, SAFB encountered economic challenges, partly due to losing export markets to American rivals. During the 1950s, it produced Electro-Motive Diesel-powered locomotives for Belgian (NMBS/SNCB classes 52, 53, 54) and Luxembourg railways (CFL class 800 and class 1600). Additionally, the company delivered Israel Railways its inaugural diesel locomotives in 1952, featuring EMD-powered Bo'Bo' configurations.
In 1964, SAFB merged with S.A. des Ateliers Germain, a manufacturer of road and rail vehicles based in Monceau-sur-Sambre, creating the entity Etablissements Germain-Anglo. By 1967, this merged organization faced imminent collapse due to a lack of orders, sparking a significant strike and sit-in that garnered nationwide support. Intervention by Prime Minister Paul Vanden Boeynants led to temporary solutions such as workforce redeployment and substantial metal fabrication contracts. Despite these efforts, Germain-Anglo ceased operations in February 1968.
The La Croyère facility was sold in 1969 to the developer Société Frabelmar, who constructed a hypermarket complex with leisure amenities that opened in December 1970.
Société Franco-Belge (1927-81)
During the 1930s, Franco-Belge based in Raismes manufactured Beyer, Peacock & Company-designed high-speed () 'Garratt' locomotives with a 4-6-2+2-6-4 wheel arrangement for use in Algeria. The company also produced carriages for an imperial train commissioned by Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia. Into the 1950s, Franco-Belge continued serving as a subcontractor for Beyer, Peacock & Company. In the early 1950s, they built over 80 Indian Railways WG class 2-8-2 locomotives before India's Chittaranjan Locomotive Works began mass production.
In the 1970s, Franco-Belge manufactured several hundred Corail coaches for SNCF. Later that decade, they secured a major contract to supply 118 aluminium metro cars (CQ310 series) for the MARTA subway system in Atlanta, USA.
After experiencing financial setbacks and management issues, the company—then operating as Soferval-franco-belge (Société ferroviaire du Valenciennes)—was acquired by Alstom in 1982.
Alstom Valenciennes
Under Alstom’s ownership, the Raismes facility is referred to as Alstom Petite-Forêt, Alstom Valenciennes, or Alstom Valenciennes Petite-Forêt (VPF).
Next to the factory lies the Centre d'Essais Ferroviaire, a rail testing track established at the start of the 21st century and owned 61% by Alstom as of 2012. Completed in 1999, it includes a 2.75 km section designed for testing at speeds up to 100 km/h, a 1.85 km loop intended for endurance trials at 80 km/h, and an S-shaped circuit used for autonomous train experiments. The industrial complex also accommodates various engineering firms.
By 2009, the plant had overcome earlier uncertainties by securing production contracts extending through to 2016 and employing approximately 1,350 workers. Notable contracts involved manufacturing metro and train units for RATP and RER services in Paris, awarded through partnerships with Bombardier Transportation. The RER contract was valued at €917 million overall, with Alstom’s portion estimated at €640 million. Within Alstom’s portfolio, Valenciennes specializes in designing and producing metro cars, trams, and double-decker trains.
Towards the end of 2015, this facility was tasked with producing 90 Bmx motor driving vehicles as part of a €1.3 billion contract awarded to an Alstom/Bombardier consortium for supplying 445 M7 double-deck passenger cars to the SNCB.
See also
- ANF Industrie, a company acquired by Bombardier Inc. in 2012, situated nearby in Crespin, Arrondissement of Valenciennes, in northern France