L.B. Foster Honoured as ERCI Innovation Awards Finalist at Rail Forum Annual Conference 2025
- Oct 16, 2025
- Rail
L.B. Foster named a finalist at the prestigious European Rail Cluster Initiative (ERCI) Innovation Awards 2025, held on 30th September at EXPO Ferroviaria in Milan. This recognition places L.B. Foster among the top innovators in the European rail sector.

ERCI is Europe’s foremost railway innovation meta-cluster, connecting 18 clusters across 17 countries, including Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Türkiye, and the UK. The ERCI Awards celebrate pioneering technologies that are driving transformation and excellence across the rail industry.
Earlier this year, our Inform Help Point was recognised as the UK regional ERCI Innovation Awards winner by Rail Forum, highlighting our commitment to innovation and customer-focused technology.

Representing L.B. Foster Europe, Anthony Thompson, Business Development Manager, accepted the finalist certificate at the Rail Forum Annual Conference 2025. The event featured high-profile speakers, an exhibition, and L.B. Foster showcase of our multi-award-winning Welcome Point.

“It was a privilege to represent L.B. Foster on stage at the Rail Forum Annual Conference, surrounded by many of the rail industry’s most respected leaders and innovators. L.B. Foster inform Help Point recognised as a finalist for the ERCI Innovation Awards is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our teams across Europe. The recognition reinforces our commitment to delivering impactful, customer-focused solutions that support the future of rail. The event provided valuable insights into the direction of Great British Railways and the role innovation will play in shaping its success.” Anthony Thompson, Senior Business Development Manager, L.B. Foster Europe
The conference featured a powerful closing address by Sir Andrew Haines, reflecting on his leadership at Network Rail.

His remarks highlighted progress in performance, safety, and customer service, and the importance of innovation in shaping the future of the industry. He praised the principles behind Great British Railways (GBR), one of the UK government’s most significant rail reforms.

Toufic Machnouk, Managing Director of GBRX, used a Rubik’s Cube analogy to illustrate the complexity of innovation and the strategic approach GBRX is taking to accelerate technology adoption.
At L.B. Foster, we support the vision of Great British Railways and GBRX. Our innovation is research-led and purpose-driven—focused on improving productivity, efficiency, and passenger experience. We’re proud to be shaping the future of rail, both in the UK and globally.
We welcome the change GBRX is bringing and look forward to being part of this new era of rail innovation.