Arbel Fauvet Rail
| Industry | Railway rolling stock |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1985 |
| Headquarters | Douai, France |
|
Key people
|
Pascal Varin (CEO) |
| Parent | Titagarh Wagons |
| Website | www.a-f-r.fr |
Coordinates: 50°22′08″N 3°05′46″E / 50.368795°N 3.096213°E
Arbel Fauvet Rail (AFR) is a railway rolling stock manufacturer based in Douai, France. In 2010 the company was acquired by Titagarh Wagons and renamed AFR Titagarh.
The company's history dates to 1856 when Lucien Arbel in association with the Deflaissieux brothers began business in Rive de Gier in the Loire area of France; in 1869 he founded the Forges de Couzon on the river Couzon in Rive de Gier. The factory made a variety of different metal parts including wheels for railway vehicles. In 1890 Lucien Arbel's son Pierre travelled to northern and eastern France to study the industrial development there, and as a consequence 5 hectares land was bought from the city of Douai in northern France for industrial development. In 1894 the Forges de Douai was founded as public company (Société anonyme) with Pierre and Lucien Arbel as directors.
In 1896 the company began stamping sheet metal, and in 1900 the plant expanded to include a Martin process hearth (7 tonnes capacity), and facilities to forge wheels; the plant had three activities: forging, machining, and stamping. The company continued to expand in the 1900s; with orders from the Compagnie du Midi for high capacity wagons, and a large order from the Compagnie du Nord the business acquired 3 more hectares of land in Douai to build a second plant in 1908 specialising in railway vehicles. Parts for artillery pieces, and other military equipment began to be produced around this time in Douai. In 1910 a third plant was opened which included an open hearth furnace, a steel plate mill and other equipment for the working of steel.
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