CFD Group SA

Name

CFD Group SA

Legal name

Compagnie de Chemins de Fer Départementaux

Website

https://cfd.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1881

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Railway Rolling Stock Manufacturing

NAICS

Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing (3365)

SIC

Railroad Equipment (3743)

akta.pro primary industry

Locomotive Maintenance & Overhaul (TLAKAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Bogie/Truck, Wheelset & Bearing Shop Services (Reprofiling, Overhaul) (TLAKAIAD)

Keywords

• Railway rolling stock manufacturing
• Diesel-electric locomotives
• Railway shunter locomotives
• Funicular railway systems
• Narrow gauge railcars

Headquarters

HQ city

Suresnes

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Railway rolling stock manufacturing: CFD designs, manufactures, and sells locomotives, shunters (locotracteurs), railcars (autorails), bogies, gearboxes, and funicular systems to railway operators, industrial companies, and urban transit authorities. Products are available in new-build and the company also offers renovated used equipment.
2. Equipment leasing (location): CFD offers short-term and long-term rental of shunters and locomotives as an alternative to purchase. The manufacturer-lessor model provides customers with reduced financing needs, better cost visibility, and access to modern equipment without intermediate intermediaries. Hybrid and battery-electric units are also available for lease, with CFD managing battery amortization, replacement, and recycling.
3. Spare parts and components: CFD provides spare parts and sub-assemblies for its manufactured products, including axle assemblies, gearbox components, and replacement parts for both current and legacy models (including discontinued MOYSE equipment for which CFD holds all manufacturing plans).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

CFD Group SA designs, manufactures, and sells railway rolling stock including diesel-electric locomotives, modular shunters (locotracteurs), railcars (autorails), funicular systems, and proprietary bogies and axle gearboxes for regional, industrial, urban, tourist, and ski-resort railway operators. The company also offers short- and long-term equipment leasing of shunters and locomotives (diesel, hybrid, and battery-electric), spare parts and components, and an online railway configurator tool for machine specification.

Product overview

CFD Group SA (Compagnie des Chemins de Fer Départementaux) est un constructeur et exploitant ferroviäre depuis 1881, offrant une gamme complète de matériel roulant ferroviäre. L'offre se compose de locomotives diesel électriques type BB, de locotracteurs (Types B, C, D, F) pour maneuvers en triage, d'autorails à essieux et à bogies pour le transport de voyageurs, de funiculaires pour les remontées mécaniques en forte pente, et de composants critiques incluant bogies et ponts réducteurs (PR18, PR21, PR23). L'entreprise dispose d'une usine de plus de 17000m² et propose également des services de location de matériel et un configurateur en ligne. Les produits intègrent des motorisations diesel, hybrides ou 100% électriques sur batteries lithium-ion, avec des solutions modulaires permettant l'évolution future (hybridation, électrification).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Diesel-electric BB locomotives
• Locotracteurs (modular shunter platform)
• Electric tourist shunter (lithium-ion battery)
• Autorails (railcars)
• Funicular systems
• Bogies
• Axle gearboxes and SRPM two-range gearboxes (pont-réducteurs)
• Equipment leasing (location de locotracteurs)
• Spare parts and sub-assemblies

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 50% operating cost savings when replacing a diesel locomotive with a 100% battery-electric equivalent with grid charging (based on 2500 annual hours of use, ~15,000 EUR/year fuel savings)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SKIRAIL (POMA-SKIRAIL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFD partnered with SKIRAIL (POMA Group) to construct the funicular of Thonon-les-Bains in 1989. CFD was responsible for the design and construction of the rolling base (base roulante) and vehicle bodies, while SKIRAIL handled the overall system integration. This partnership combined CFD's vehicle manufacturing expertise with SKIRAIL's funicular infrastructure capabilities.
• POMAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFD partnered with POMA on the Bourg-Saint-Maurice funicular (Arc-en-Ciel / Arcs-Express) and later for the 2019 renovation of the funicular with new panoramic rames. CFD manufactured the original vehicle bodies and bogies, and was again selected for bogie manufacturing for the replacement panoramic rames.
• VON ROLLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVON ROLL had overall project responsibility for the Tignes funicular (Perce-Neige), while CFD was selected for the design and construction of the two funicular rames and the bogies providing suspension, guidance, and safety braking systems. The Tignes funicular is an underground system reaching 3,000m altitude.
• IngeteamcoreTechnology or IntegrationCFD Bagnères cooperated with Ingeteam for the electrical traction chain of the Euskotren bi-mode locomotive. Ingeteam provided the electric traction system while CFD manufactured the locomotive body and bogies.
• KIEPEcoreTechnology or IntegrationKIEPE supplied the electronic block for the 14 TME electric locomotives delivered by CFD Bagnères to RATP. The KIEPE electronics convert 750V third-rail current to supply the traction motors through CFD-designed bogies and gearboxes.
• VON ROLLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVON ROLL served as the main contractor for the Tignes-Perce-Neige funicular project (decided 1986, operational 1992). CFD was responsible for vehicle and bogie design and manufacturing for this underground funicular reaching 3,000m altitude.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles): Spanish rolling stock manufacturer with a comparable European regional rail and locomotive portfolio. Competes with CFD in metric-gauge regional orders (CAF active in Basque and Iberian markets) and urban/commuter transit.
• Alstom: Global rolling stock incumbent and one of CFD's largest indirect competitors in the French and European rail market. Overlaps in regional rail, locomotives, and urban transit (RATP is also an Alstom customer) but operates at much larger scale with broader product portfolio.
• Vossloh: German rail technology group active in rail infrastructure (fastening systems, switches) and previously locomotives (Vossloh Locomotives, now CRRC). Overlaps with CFD's bogie and component business and industrial shunter heritage.
• Siemens Mobility: Global rolling stock and rail infrastructure incumbent. Competes indirectly across regional rail and locomotive segments served by CFD, but at substantially larger scale and broader geographic reach.

Direct peers

• PESA (Pojazdy Szynowe PESA Bydgoszcz): Polish rolling stock manufacturer producing diesel multiple units, electric multiple units, and locomotives for regional and industrial operators. Closely comparable mid-sized European niche manufacturer serving similar customer types as CFD.
• Stadler Rail: Swiss rolling stock manufacturer with a comparable niche-to-mid-scale profile, building locomotives, shunters, railcars, and funiculars — directly overlapping CFD's product portfolio in metric-gauge and specialized rail vehicles for regional and industrial operators.
• Schöma (Christian Doppler): German manufacturer of diesel and battery-electric shunting locomotives for industrial, port, and mining operators. Direct peer in the shunter segment with similar scale and customer base in heavy industrial rail.
• CZ LOKO: Czech manufacturer of shunting and mainline locomotives (e.g., EffiShunter, DualShunter, TRAMLINK) for European industrial and regional operators. Highly comparable product line to CFD's locotracteur and locomotive range.
• Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group: Austrian/Swiss ropeway and funicular manufacturer with deep expertise in cable cars, funiculars, and urban ropeway systems. Directly competes with CFD in the funicular segment (ski resort and urban installations) where CFD has built reference projects at Tignes and Bourg-Saint-Maurice.

Others

• POMA: French ropeway and funicular group partnered with CFD on key projects (Thonon-les-Bains funicular via SKIRAIL/POMA, Bourg-Saint-Maurice Arc-en-Ciel). Functions as both customer/partner and adjacent competitor in the funicular system space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/compagnie-cfd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CFD Group SA