Green light as Fenix launches in Southeast Asia

Rail signalling services provider Fenix Signalling is set to establish itself in Southeast Asia following the acquisition of a majority shareholding in MGB Systems Ltd (MGBS).

MGBS will now become known as Fenix Southeast Asia Limited. Fenix Southeast Asia officially began trading in April 2018 and its client base includes Hitachi, Ansaldo STS, George Kent (Malaysia) and Rail Systems Australia.

Fenix Signalling already had good business relationships with partners in Southeast Asia, including MGBS, and was looking to make acquisitions in the Asian sub-region that were strategically and commercially advantageous to Fenix and its client base.

Fenix Southeast Asia will be led by Regional Director Peter Foxley, former managing director of MGBS.

The purchase quickly followed a visit to the Thailand head office of MGBS by Craig Purcell, CEO of Fenix Group, in February 2018.

Mr Purcell said: “This is one of the most exciting opportunities in our history, since we established our UK base in the strategic rail heartland of the Midlands.

“Within our team, we have always had vast experience in the international rail market. A large part of the rail infrastructure throughout the Asian continent is still largely undeveloped.

“The formation of Fenix Southeast Asia, with the leadership of Peter Foxley, significantly enhances our rail infrastructure engineering capability to take to the global market. This includes a dual offering of consultancy services and rail systems and technology for the design, procurement, installation and commissioning phases of our clients’ major projects.”

Peter Foxley said: “We have been concentrating on growing our rail systems services business to serve the rail sector throughout the Southeast Asia region. Fenix has proven capabilities and competencies as a provider of railway safety critical services wrapped in Britain’s Railways – a world leader. By bringing Fenix’s high-quality services and products to our existing Southeast Asia platform we will present a powerful and compelling offering that coincides in a timely manner with vast opportunities in the region.”

Eddie Murphy, Projects Director for Fenix Signalling, said: “With so much untapped potential within the rail sector in this part of the world there is untold scope for us as signalling experts with a previous track record of overseas success. Quite simply, we – with our supply chain partners – want to make a positive impact on the rail industry in Southeast Asia. With our new office, strategically positioned in the busy hub of Bangkok, we are really looking forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”

Craig Purcell, CEO Fenix Group with Peter Foxley signing the acquisition agreement

Fenix Southeast Asia will provide the region with a one-stop shop of rail systems services for clients at every stage of the infrastructure assets lifecycle, from concepts to operations and maintenance.

The new business will combine partners, skills and experience to offer something independent and unique to the international market. Partners in the delivery of projects, which will see Fenix Southeast Asia supporting main contractors, include Promelectronica and Tiefenbach.

Notes

Peter Foxley has 37 years’ experience in the rail sector, starting with British Rail Western Region, based in Paddington. During 1999, he established his own business (Magnate Associates). Joining forces with Western Electrical in Plymouth in 2004, to form MGB Signalling (latterly MGB Engineering). By 2009, it was operating with a turnover in excess of £10 million, and this coincided with being granted a Principal Contractor License by Network Rail. In 2010, Mr Foxley decided to focus on growing a rail consultancy business internationally throughout the Southeast Asia and Australia rail markets.

Fenix South-East Asia will operate in three distinct (but complementary) areas:

Consultancy: Providing advisory services for clients with the provision of subject matter expertise deeply skilled and experienced in every stage of a project’s lifecycle including requirements definition, design, procurement, installation, commission, operations and maintenance.

Engineering Services: Design – signalling, preliminary and design details, bill of quantities; Construction and commissioning – product support and procurement, independent verification and validation, installation and assurance, factory and site testing and commissioning; Maintenance and operation – technical engineering support, fault finding, rapid response services and solutions provider. These engineering services are especially valuable to those organisations and technology providers exporting their product into new countries, and find outsourcing an attractive business solution. Together, we provide a fully integrated offering to support the crucial early stages of projects.

Projects: Responsible for the design, procurement, installation, supervision (of construction partners) and testing and commissioning of assets in two main areas:

Projects delivered by this part of the business primarily support main contractor organisations, with Fenix Southeast Asia working with partner companies for the provision of proven safety-critical signalling technology. They include Promelectronica (main lines) and Tiefenbach (depots). In addition, these projects may require Fenix Southeast Asia to establish local partners for signalling and communications installation activities.

©2021 Fenix Rail Systems