Machines With Vision wins Network Rail contract, and secures investment from Par Equity to drive international growth
Press Release, 11th December 2024
Venture backed Edinburgh-based rail tech company Machines With Vision wins contract for enhanced positional accuracy of an Ultrasonic Test Unit (UTU) with Network Rail and successfully raises 7-figure sum from Par Equity and Scottish Enterprise. This achievement will enable the business to grow internationally, and bring new levels of safety and automation to the global railway infrastructure inspection and maintenance industry.
Machines With Vision are pleased to announce that they have been awarded a contract with Network Rail for enhanced positional accuracy of an Ultrasonic Test Unit (UTU); and secured a 7-figure sum from Par Equity and Scottish Enterprise, to advance international expansion and further product development.
The Edinburgh-based rail tech company has not only demonstrated break-through innovation but also its capacity to deliver high levels of operational competence in a highly demanding industry. This new competitively won contract and funding will enable Machines With Vision to invest further in their business and advance product development, enabling its expanding customer base to increasingly benefit from world class, innovative technology solutions that deliver new levels of safety and automation.
Machines With Vision have been awarded a contract by Network Rail for an operational system trial on one of their Ultrasonic Testing Units (UTU), to demonstrate enhanced data positioning accuracy alongside the Fault Navigator app which guides track engineers precisely to UTU suspects. The project will demonstrate the step-change in positional accuracy sought by Network Rail and a positioning service that further improves service resilience and can support future recording system modernisation.
The newly launched mobile application, Fault Navigator, offers a game changing improvement in the way track workers navigate to faults, visually guiding them directly to suspect locations identified by the UTUs for verification. Track worker safety is the number one industry priority and Fault Navigator makes a direct positive impact.
Machines With Vision provides solutions for railway infrastructure inspection and maintenance delivering new levels of safety and automation, underpinned by the company’s world leading railway positioning technology.
By applying their expertise from other sectors, such as computer vision, robotics and autonomous vehicles, Machines With Vision is transforming the railway infrastructure inspection and maintenance industry.
Anthony Ashbrook, Co-Founder and CEO at Machines With Vision, commented on the milestone:
“Working on track is inherently hazardous and we are proud to be providing the tools to make this as safe as possible for the amazing people who go out on track every day, so we have a safe and reliable railway. As railways inevitably move towards increased automation for dangerous on-track work in the future, these same tools will provide the navigation and control that will be required.”
Aidan MacMillan, Investment Director at Par Equity, added:
“We’re delighted to have had the opportunity to further support Machines With Vision as they continue to achieve remarkable growth. Since our initial investment, the team has continued to expand, innovate and grow commercially in international markets - as well as solidifying its relationship with Network Rail. With our additional co-investment of £1.6 million alongside Scottish Enterprise, we are excited to see the business further cement its role as a leader in railway navigation and automation, providing pioneering solutions that revolutionise the rail industry.”
Kevin Hope, Technical &; Engineering Lead, IM Programme at Network Rail, said:
“This trial is a very high priority for our route and regional customers and something that we, as a programme, are excited to get started with. Being guided directly to a suspected rail defect will improve safety by reducing the amount of time spent on track. It will also open the door to improved testing, verification and defect removal procedures.”
You can read or download the full press release here:
Track worker using Machines With Vision’s Fault Navigator app to navigate to a suspect
