29 June 2026
Jessica Tempest brings over a decade of in-depth purchasing experience gained across technology-based industries. She joined Petards as Procurement Manager in 2025. Here, she examines how rail procurement is advancing and what this means for rail industry procurers and niche suppliers such as Petards Rail.
As an SME and supplier of SIL2 accredited DCO, CCTV, ASDO & associated surveillance systems, we collaborate closely with customers every day across a wide range of procurement needs. One day, which may involve sourcing steel: the next, specialist chips from South East Asia. This breadth of activity gives us a practical, grounded understanding of the challenges faced by rail industry procurers.
Rail procurement is becoming a much faster-moving landscape. New legislation, including the Procurement Act and recent revisions to the various UK rail standards along with the introduction of the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, is reshaping how organisations buy and integrate technology. For many customers, it is a balancing act. Integration is rarely straightforward, particularly where legacy contracts are involved, and the pressure to adapt while managing existing obligations is very real.
A Preferred Partner for Good Reason
Petards Rail is frequently nominated as a preferred supplier, which we believe reflects the way we do business. As well as manufacturing specialist systems, we provide services that help customers reduce costs, something procurement teams value highly. For example, we conduct health checks on existing CCTV surveillance systems and recommend credible alternatives to full replacement, such as targeted upgrades or modifications. This approach delivers genuine value by forecasting parts obsolescence and anticipating lead-time changes, giving rail procurers the visibility they need to plan and budget effectively.
Our supplier relationships create valuable collaborative opportunities, positioning us at the forefront to access the most current and innovative technologies. Petards’ constant focus of ‘designing for futureproofing’ is also reflected in the product architecture, for example our advanced ASDO system, which already meets the obligations introduced under the revised RIS-2747 standard. Similarly, our recently upgraded in-house obsolescence management tools have helped procurers identify and resolve obsolescence challenges before they become critical therefore maintaining commercial advantage.
Transparency and Value at the Core
As a long-established player in the rail industry, Petards has built a solid record of collaborating with suppliers and partners, with the specific intention of passing on savings on to our customers. On freight, for example, we can collect and return at cost price, and we are able to leverage cross-supply arrangements to generate further cost efficiencies. Value for money, transparency and integrity are not aspirations for Petards. They are at the heart of our procurement systems and processes.
The Opportunity Ahead
From our perspective, the new Procurement Act presents a genuine opportunity for SMEs like Petards. By consolidating multiple procurement regulations into a single framework, the Act promises a faster, less complex process that is more aligned to real project requirements. This means it should be more viable for smaller, niche suppliers like Petards, to compete for public contracts.
The introduction of a central digital platform, where suppliers can register once and use their details across multiple bids, could further accelerate decision-making and spending across the rail sector. For an agile, responsive businesses like ours, that is a welcome development.