Company

• Human Resources: priority to staff training, to maintain the excellent level of skills needed.  Socofer's team is its primary wealth;
• Capital Investments: brand-new engineering and production facilities in response to new demands of the railroad industry;
• Sales & Marketing: increasing market share and perpetuating its international presence;
• Customer Service: accompanying clients through the vast challenges with which they are confronted.

In the name of tehe SOCOFER team I invite you to discover our products and solution, please contact us.

The firm was founded in 1920 under the name BILLARD & Cie. The mechanical workshop starts construction of railway vehicles in 1922.

In 1928 business development requires the creation of a joint stock company named "Société Anonyme des Anciens Etablissements BILLARD et Cie". They produce shunting locotractors, DMUs and track motor cars for the French and African market.

SOCOFER was created in 1965 taking over the BILLARD business.

• 1965-1980 The railway activity is mainly oriented for export to the former French colonies.
• 1980-1990 The HALLE family takes over SOCOFER and develops the railway business. The company enters the metro market by developing a vacuum train in cooperation with NEU company.
• 1993 SOCOFER develops the " modular " concept for maintenance trains put into service at EUROTUNNEL and RAILTRACK (Great Britain).
• 1998 SNCF ceases production of vehicles in their own workshops thus opening their market to private industries. SOCOFER takes an important market share which allows strengthening and diversifying its technical competencies.
• 1999 Building of a new 4000 m² assembly hall.
• 2000 SOCOFER extends its line of action to road rail and rolling stock modernization.
• 2005 SOCOFER celebrates its 40 anniversary. The management is taken over by Bertrand HALLE.
• 2008 The acquisition of the former FERWAY business allows SOCOFER to add shunting locotractors to it's range and creation of SOCOFER's subsidiary called TRACFER.
• 2009 Winner of a 100 Million Euros contract in partnership with VOITH for the modernization of 200 locotractors.
• 2012 SOCOFER builds a large modern manufacturing site with quick and easy access from main lines.
• 2015 Creation of the society of services IMATEQ in parternship with VOSSLOH.
  

• Staff : 25 engineers
• Skills
  
  • mechanical
    
  • hydraulic / pneumatic,
  • electrical/automation
  • electronic/ power electronics
  • industrial computing

• 3D Computer work desks: Solid Edge
• Structural finite element analysis: FEM - ANSYS
  
• On-board software development : SVDTS (Socofer Vehicle Diagnostic & Tools System)

• Skills
  
  • Boiler and sheet metal works, car body manufacturing
  • ISO, NF, BS & ASME certified welders 
  • Hydraulic & pneumatic assembly
  • Electrical wiring and automation

• State-of-the art industrial site with track access (2013)

• Two production and assembly halls 5750 m²
• 25-meter long Paint booth 
• Electrical workshop 320 m2
• Storage  warehouse 670 m2
• Power test area including drive line test bench 
• Test track

For over thirty years Socofer is organized around its quality management system achieving its objectives under the ISO 9001 certification.

In constant evolution, the company assumes a guideline that incorporates an environmental approach as well as a health and safety policy.

Always listening to its customers, it makes them benefit from the value of its know-how as part of an EN15085 certification.

Looking towards future, it develops a culture of continuous improvement within its teams, installing customer satisfaction at the center of its business strategy.