NFM becomes part of BMS France 02 Sep 2020

The future of NFM TBM design, manufacturing and service is secured with a takeover of the business by French foundations and underground works company BMS, Béton Matériel Service, based in Lyon and with offices in Paris and Toulouse. Philippe Adrien, former CEO of NFM tunnelling operations, is providing advice and continuity for the company into integration under new ownership by BMS.

Twin NFM TBMs are deployed on the Semmering baseline

BMS President Jean de Saint Julien and his financial partner Peninsular Capital Management have secured the takeover deal and creation of its new NFM Engineering division. NFM Engineering will specialize in the engineering for TBM and related services in France and internationally and will operate in three areas of expertise: engineering studies, technical assistance on site with service, spare parts and cutting tools supply; and bringing their experience to clients via:

• TBM specifications and feasibility studies
• Refurbishment of second-hand TBM including technical adaptations for new projects
• Compliance of equipment with codes and standards
• Commercial interfacing in France and abroad
• Providing assistance by qualified and experienced engineers and technicians on site from the assembly of the TBM to its dismantling at the end of the project, including site technical assistance and maintenance during the TBM operation
• Spare parts and cutting tools supply
• Site training, and
• Project management

BMS President Jean de Saint Julien launches the new division

It is able to offer the full range of technical solutions and services for those involved in special foundations and underground works such as Concrete pumping / spraying, Injection, Drilling and Tunneling.

Saint Julien and Adrien anticipate significant growth in TBM projects and builds on current NFM TBM projects in France on the Grand Paris Express metro expansion, the Lyon-Torino high speed rail link between France and Italy, and on the Lyon and Toulouse metro extensions and internationally on the Tideway CSO project in London, UK, and the Semmering baseline railway in Austria.

NFM was previously owned by Mühlhäuser of Germany before it became insolvent in late 2019 and before that by NHI, a State owned company of China, from 2008 and before it encountered financial trouble in 2018 and lost the financial support of the China State.