Alstom Advances Sustainability Through Supplier Event

Rail manufacturer Alstom recently hosted its Supplier Day and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Awards, spotlighting over 200 industry stakeholders in the space.

Over 120 top British and Irish suppliers were present, forging Alstom’s commitment to collaborating with more suppliers to sustain its rail supply chain.

Rob Whyte, Managing Director UK at Alstom, says: “We are proud that the vast majority of our spend for our UK operations is with British businesses, supporting thousands of jobs and driving economic value across the regions. 

“As we look ahead, our focus is on deepening these relationships – working more strategically with our suppliers to improve competitiveness, reduce time to market and deliver greater certainty through models such as long-term agreements.

“Ultimately, delivering the next generation of sustainable mobility in the UK and beyond depends on a strong, innovative and aligned supply chain. By working together, we can unlock shared growth, create lasting social value and ensure the rail sector continues to play a vital role in supporting communities and economic development across the country.”

Alstom’s company measurements

Alstom’s impact in the rail supply industry includes:

• Being a leading buyer in the UK rail market, spending upwards of £720m (US$965m) over the last year among almost 1,300 British businesses 
• Dedicating 33% of its spending during the last 12 months to UK-based SMEs (Small and Medium-sized enterprises) and 90% of its spending to British suppliers 
• Having 80% of its suppliers in the UK, with approximately half classed as SMEs 
• Supporting nearly 11,000 jobs across the country through its supply chain 
• Generating around £100m (US$134m) in exports by UK suppliers to Alstom entities in 37 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Mexico and the US

Businesses receives honors

During the awards ceremony, Alstom presented nine accolades to SMEs that provide essential products and services. These businesses were recognised for their contributions to promoting health and wellbeing, stimulating economic expansion, addressing climate change and advancing equal opportunity.

Kadel Engineering was among the recipients of the Fight Climate Change (SME) award for its commitment to operational carbon reduction. Paul Rollins, Managing Director at Kadel Engineering says: “What a great honour for such a small company like Kadel Engineering to be recognised with an award. It was an extremely proud moment for us and lovely to feel appreciated. 

“The changes we made to fight climate change may seem small but if everyone made little changes towards this goal, it would make a big difference to the future of our planet. We are proud to be an Alstom supplier and look forward to continuing our CSR journey with them.”

The UK and Ireland Supplier CSR Awards 2026 winners are listed below:        

• Turbo Power Systems  
• Quest Electrical
• Telent   
• Dellner Glass Solutions 
• Rullion  
• Olympus Global 
• OCS Group
• HUBER+SUHNER

Bhavik Pathak, Alstom's Director and Head of Supplier Quality for the Americas, sat down with Supply Chain Digital in June. The conversation explored various subjects, including procurement strategies, the predictive power of AI and the constant evolution of global supply chains.

“If I talk about our market, the rail market, our supply bases are spread globally,” Bhavik explains.

“It’s not just a matter of getting the part at the lowest price. We need to ultimately reduce the risk for the organisation.”

“Let’s say we have a crisis situation, how fast can we recover?

“Because of the geopolitical tensions and a lot going on right now in the global market, prices are fluctuating and then it comes with tariffs and all that.”