For many years, Transurb has been contributing to the training of train, metro, and tram drivers in Belgium and Europe. After difficult months during the Covid period, the company has worked hard to catch up and has just won an award.

At the Wallonia International Business Awards, the Walloon company Transurb received the special jury prize. "It is a great source of pride for our teams. With Covid, we went through a difficult period as public transportation was heavily impacted, and our projects were put on hold, with 90% of our revenue coming from international markets. But for the past two years, the teams have worked hard to catch up, and this award recognizes their efforts," commented Gauthier Van Damme, Managing Director at Transurb.

Since 1991, the Grand Prix Wallonie à l'Exportation, renamed in 2022 to the Wallonia International Business Awards, has rewarded, every two years, the efforts and successes of Walloon companies in foreign markets, contributing to the visibility of these companies as well as the brand image of Walloon products, services, and expertise internationally.

Transurb was founded 50 years ago at the initiative of SNCB and STIB. "For about ten years now, we have been taken over by the John Cockerill group, with STIB remaining a minority shareholder. Our goal is to expand even further internationally," says Gauthier Van Damme.

Transurb offers solutions to help its clients train their employees in the railway sector and optimize their operations. "Our main activity revolves around simulators for learning how to drive a train, metro, or tram. But we also offer solutions for other roles such as traffic managers or track operators," explains our spokesperson.

Conquering the United States

While most of Europe's train drivers are trained using Transurb solutions, what sets the Namur-based company apart from its competitors? "We started later than our competitors. However, we made up for it by co-developing solutions tailored to the client's needs. We don't offer a pre-made product. This allows us to meet the needs of companies, which has helped us become a market leader. Additionally, we invest heavily in innovation to meet the evolving needs of businesses," details Gauthier Van Damme.

As a result, Transurb is present throughout Europe, with contracts with SNCF, Deutsche Bahn, and even in Switzerland. "But we are also present in North Africa as well as in the Australian and Southeast Asian markets. However, the Americas remain a challenging market for us," explains Gauthier Van Damme.

The United States is, in fact, a goal for Transurb's future. "We hope to secure our first contract in the United States by 2025 to develop in that market," he concludes.