WeMaintain has announced the opening of a new office in Manchester as it begins work on the Metrolink tram network.
The company, which was founded in Paris in 2017 raised €30m (£27m) in Series B funding in 2021 and operates across 1000 buildings around the world.
It supports engineers with proprietary technology such as IoT sensors, a client platform and a field application.
With Manchester Metrolink it will be fitting the network with IoT technology which it says will save costs and ensure greater reliability.
“We are thrilled to be expanding into Britain’s ‘Capital of the North’. Manchester was the first industrialised city in the world and can boast of having created the first inner-city railway and the country’s first working canal. It is also determined to become net zero by 2038. This fits perfectly with our philosophy that decarbonisation goes hand in hand with innovations in smart technology that can be used to retrofit energy inefficient old buildings and build greener new ones,” said Tom Harmsworth, UK Managing Director of WeMaintain.
“We look forward above all to working with the UK’s largest tram system, providing critical lift and escalator maintenance. We have extensive experience in rail and can’t wait to implement our IoT technology, driving innovation, efficiency and, most importantly, customer satisfaction. Once our technology is installed, we can furnish KAM with early warnings of potential equipment failure, allowing us to resolve this and other issues with unique speed.”
WeMaintain has previously worked alongside Metrolink operator, KeolisAmey, on the Docklands Lights Railway.
“We are very pleased by the partnership with WeMaintain, creating local jobs and delivering an efficient, cost-effective solution for our customers,” said Ryan Jones, of KAM.
“Manchester operates a busy metro service, with thousands of people relying on its functionality every day to commute to work and travel across the greater Manchester area. Our work with WeMaintain will ensure maintenance is carried out with minimal disruption to the service and at the best possible cost to the city.”
