TATA Steel Europe has won a two year contract to supply more than 200,000 tonnes of track to French rail operator SNCF. The contract will see Tata Steel supply the majority of SNCF’s rail requirements in lengths of up to 108 metres from its plant in Hayange, Northern France.

The Hayange rolling mill is supplied with steel from Tata Steel’s Scunthorpe steelworks in the UK.

As well as the new 108m-long rail, Hayange is also able to roll shorter lengths when required by customers. The shorter lengths can be processed in the heat-treatment facility, allowing rail operators to enhance performance and reduce costs associated with more frequent worn rail replacement.

The order was secured following a EUR 35 million investment by Tata Steel in 2011 which allowed the Hayange mill to produce 108m lengths of rail that SNCF will use throughout France’s standard and high-speed networks. The new order is an extension of a previous contract with SNCF.

The news comes just weeks after the unveiling of the new EUR 12 million heat-treatment facility at the Hayange plant, built as part of Tata Steel’s customer-focused approach to the market. Heat-treated rail can last up to three times longer than standard rail when used in high wear conditions such as heavy traffic, high axle loads or tight curves. The newly opened facility will allow Tata Steel to more than double its annual output of heat-treated rail from 55,000 to 125,000 tonnes.