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Discover more about how Unipart delivers value through innovative and sustainable performance improvement solutions for the rail industry.
Driving rail forward: How Unipart delivers innovation through collaboration and expertise
The global rail industry faces mounting pressures to enhance efficiency, reduce costs and achieve ambitious decarbonisation targets. In this dynamic environment, Unipart has established itself as a trusted innovation partner, seamlessly integrating in-house expertise with collaborations across SMEs, academia and technology partners.
This collaborative approach enables Unipart to deliver comprehensive end-to-end supply chain solutions – designing, making, moving and improving components across its customers’ supply chains. By applying this end-to-end approach, Unipart drives operational efficiencies, enhances performance and delivers measurable savings in time, cost and carbon, helping rail operators meet both immediate challenges and long-term sustainability goals.
The Unipart innovation eco-system
For Unipart, innovation is more than a corporate slogan – it is embedded in the company’s DNA. Its open innovation model fosters collaboration across the rail sector and beyond, ensuring the business remains at the forefront of technological advancements and capable of delivering solutions that meet evolving industry needs.
In-house expertise
Unipart leverages decades of knowledge and extensive in-house capabilities to develop and refine innovative solutions. By combining engineering expertise with strategic sourcing and collaborative development, the company brings new technologies through the stringent product approval process and into daily use. This capability allows Unipart to respond swiftly to industry challenges and deliver solutions that enhance performance and efficiency.
Collaborative partnerships
Recognising the value of diverse perspectives, Unipart actively engages with SMEs, academic institutions and technology partners. Collaborations with leading rail academics and initiatives such as the UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) enable the company to embrace the key themes of the Rail Technical Strategy. These partnerships strengthen digital capabilities and support the development of next-generation products and services.
Digital integration for transformative performance
Digital technology is a core component of Unipart’s innovation strategy. The railway industry requires transformative, performance-improving digital solutions, however, integrating these technologies necessitates a comprehensive understanding of complex rail network systems. Unipart’s condition monitoring solutions monitor thousands of assets and translate collected data into actionable information. This approach supports improved decision-making and automates the supply chain to target maintenance before failure, enhancing overall system reliability, reducing cost and disruption.
World-class manufacturing solutions
Unipart’s manufacturing services draw on decades of expertise and a commitment to adopting new technologies. The company manufactures, repairs and maintains solutions across plant and machinery, signalling and telecoms, power and electrification, rolling stock components and trackside infrastructure. By combining engineering capability with advanced manufacturing, Unipart delivers products that enhance safety, efficiency and reliability across the rail network.
Maximising asset performance
The company also applies its innovation ecosystem to maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) solutions. By combining expert engineering, advanced diagnostics and a circular economy mindset, Unipart helps rail operators optimise, repair and service equipment, improving operational reliability and safety while reducing costs, carbon emissions and inefficiencies across the supply chain.
Through this comprehensive model, Unipart not only addresses today’s industry challenges but also helps shape the future of rail transportation. Its collaborative approach ensures the company remains a trusted partner, driving performance improvement, operational efficiency and sustainability across multiple sectors, including rail and public transport, technology, automotive, healthcare, aerospace and defence, consumer and retail, and industrials.
Transformative innovation in action
Unipart has an extensive portfolio of revolutionary solutions that address the evolving needs of the rail industry, improving efficiency, safety and sustainability.
Signalling: Unipart delivers comprehensive signalling solutions, integrating advanced technologies to ensure safe and reliable train movement control. The new MK3 signal module offers versatility and additional features and is fully retrofittable into existing Unipart Dorman housings, eliminating the need for infrastructure modifications and enabling straightforward, cost-effective renewals.
Level Crossings: The LX Plus solution is a modular, end-to-end system designed to simplify the deployment, management and maintenance of level crossing assets. By combining pre-assembled components with off-site function testing and streamlined logistics, LX Plus allows rail operators to install, maintain and upgrade level crossings more efficiently and safely.
Plant and Machinery: Unipart’s Construction, Maintenance and Renewal machines are designed to accelerate track work while enhancing safety and reducing operational costs. Manufactured in-house, these transformative solutions streamline track construction and maintenance projects, enabling operators to deliver work faster and more reliably.
Fuel Management: The FuelActive fuel pick-up system solves the issue of diesel contamination, delivering 92% cleaner fuel to engines and saving up to 5% in fuel and CO2 emissions, improving efficiency across fleets.
Power and Electrification: Unipart provides advanced power distribution systems, including electrical control panels and switchboards, engineered for seamless integration and reliable operation. These systems support traction, rolling stock and infrastructure projects, helping operators deliver efficient, safe and resilient rail services.
Through this broad portfolio, Unipart demonstrates its ability to combine technical expertise, innovation and practical solutions to meet the complex challenges of the global rail sector.
Delivering measurable benefits
Unipart’s innovations consistently deliver tangible benefits to the rail industry:
- Time Efficiency: Unipart’s innovations streamline installation processes, reducing project timelines and enhancing overall efficiency. The LX Plus solution removes on-site failures and reduces time on site by 20%, delivering a safer working environment and reducing passenger and public disruption through reduced possession time.
- Cost Savings: Through the implementation of advanced technologies and efficient supply chain solutions, Unipart has helped clients achieve significant cost reductions. An example of this is Unipart’s refurbishment programme for point machines, which delivered savings of approximately £750,000 for Network Rail compared with the cost of procuring new units.
- Carbon Reduction: The adoption of zero-emissions technologies and sustainable practices is accelerating carbon reduction across the industry. Unipart’s EI. Energy Control System plays a key role by giving users real-time visibility and control over their energy consumption. By combining live data, predictive analytics and expert insight, EI. enables operators to pinpoint inefficiencies, take immediate action and optimise energy-intensive processes to achieve measurable reductions in both carbon emissions and operating costs.
Looking ahead to the future
Unipart continues to focus on the future of rail, with ongoing collaborations in areas such as artificial intelligence, digital twins, hydrogen power and energy storage. By working closely with industry partners, the company aims to ensure the sector remains resilient, efficient and sustainable in the face of emerging challenges.
Unipart’s approach to innovation – rooted in collaboration, expertise and a commitment to delivering practical solutions – positions the business as a pivotal partner in the transformation of the global rail industry. By combining technological advancements with supply chain excellence, the company is addressing today’s needs while shaping the railways of tomorrow.
Nicola Kissagliss, Head of Product at Unipart commented: “Innovation isn’t just about creating new products – it’s about rethinking how the rail industry operates at every level. At Unipart, we focus on practical, sustainable solutions that address real-world challenges, from optimising operations and improving safety to reducing environmental impact. Our approach is about making a tangible difference for operators, passengers, and the wider rail network, ensuring that railways are not only efficient and reliable today, but also resilient and adaptable for the future.”
Dr David McGorman, Managing Director – Rail & Technology at Unipart commented: “At Unipart we see innovation as a responsibility as much as an opportunity. By harnessing our diverse portfolio across supply chain, digital technology and engineering excellence, we are uniquely positioned to help the UK rail sector adapt and thrive in the face of complex challenges.
“Nicola and the wider Unipart teams exemplify the collaborative spirit and technical excellence that define our business. From modernising infrastructure to embedding sustainable practices, our collaborative approach ensures we deliver solutions that drive measurable benefits and long-term resilience for operators, passengers and the wider economy.”
This article was published in Rail Director, a magazine delivered directly to rail influencers, key decision makers and industry officials.