“We overcame the Chinese to the Chinese to compete for the tender in Jerusalem, and we have proven that it can be done without a policy. ” Speaking about the international aspects of infrastructure investment, he expressed cautious optimism about the possibility of building major transport projects in the country.
When asked about the possibility of linking the transportation system in Israel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Rafiv said: “We are in an amazing era. No one expected that during the period of President Trump’s previous term, Israel’s 25 -year -old relations with the Persian Gulf” went out to the open. I hope the plan (for normalization) will start with Saudi Arabia now.
As a representative of an international company, do you also look at this horizon?
“Certainly. For us, this is easy.
Today, the Israeli rail market includes European competitors from France, Germany and Spain. After 18 difficult months, are your Spanish superiority still here?
“Yes, of course. Since CAF founded Israel in 2020, there was no moment when foreign workers were not in the country. We are talking about the Kofid period, and the days of the Gaza process in 2021, and now during the war there were no foreign workers. Their children. In schools, foreign workers have returned here. “
Since the outbreak of the war, CAF CEO has visited Israel twice. The CAF franchise project managed here 10 times. The company is alive and kicking, and recognizes the importance of the Israeli market. It is a small but a huge market for us. “
How did you prepare for cases such as war? Have you been affected by political pressure?
“We have a long experience in working on the road between Europe and Israel. One of the first things we did is preparing an emergency plan that gave the main headquarters and foreign workers in the event of something in Israel. How do you take care of their safety and security? With the local population and understood that these types of projects are necessary The population, regardless of what politics says. “
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Was there a discussion about security? Was it political? Is the competition affected?
“I don’t think the competition has been affected. A different group (companies) is chosen for each project. Israel has been identified as a goal, and perhaps small geographically, but because of the accumulation of projects, it is very attractive.”
How afraid of Chinese competition?
“We have overcome the Chinese in the tender for the project in Jerusalem. On other urban projects, the projects of the Pakistani People’s Party (a government concession to work by a privilege), we also proved in Jerusalem that it is possible to defeat the Chinese participant regardless of politics, even on the issue of pricing.”
What are the expectations for the upcoming projects?
“Whether it is the Tel Aviv Metro Project or which is in Jerusalem, whether it is railway passenger trains in Israel. In every railway project in Israel, there will be CAF. In recent years, there have been integration between manufacturers in the railway world (such as Between continuous and bombardier.
Is there a shortage of engineers? Those who graduate in engineering prefer to work for the chips manufacturer like NVIDIA. “We see this. Engineers mainly prefer the electricity sector low -voltage today, which means that they go to work in the chips industry. We are looking for people who came from other industries, training and presenting them to our industry. It has reached the International Railways Gallery (Innotrans), which meets Every two years in Berlin, there were five Israelis.
Raviv shares a story on how to help his activities in a local factory from the north. “On one of my flights to the north, I saw a handrail car manufactured by a company called Tal and Hadas. We have searched and found a company located in an industrial zone in the north of the country. We wanted to produce all handrails for trains in the country. The possibility of taking projects for the success of small and medium -sized companies in the country, We have made a difference. “
Are there enough companies such as Tal, Hadas and CAF here for the metro and railway project to Eilaat?
“It is possible. But let’s put things in the system in the railway tenders in Israel, in quality and price matters, the focus is on the most serious quality.
“It is important that there is a government company that will build urban trains. Knowledge has accumulated in Israel, but not in one place. It is the unification of work.
Are there funding capabilities for future projects?
“There is enough money. We have closed funding on time (in our projects). Today, there is no problem in financing projects in Israel.”
Full Disclosure: The conference was sponsored by Ackerstein, CAF, ISRAEL RAILWAYS, Netivei ISRAEL, EGGED and Ashdod Port and Mekorot.
It was published by Globes, Israel Business News – En.globles.co.il – on February 3, 2025.
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