This article explores the prospects for implementing service management using the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework. The article describes the journey towards improved performance in service delivery at Mipro. The company specialises in interlocking and traffic management systems, whereby one of its business areas focuses on developing solutions for railway and local railway traffic. Within this context, implementation is understood to mean a process that applies the service management principles and best practices defined by ITIL.
Mipro is pleased to announce the successful completion of the Lääne-Harju project in Estonia, marking a significant milestone in the railway infrastructure sector. AS Eesti Raudtee (EVR), the client, officially started using the Centralised Traffic Control (CTC) system on the 4th of December 2023, completing the extensive project delivered by Mipro.
Mipro has successfully delivered the new signalling system for the Joensuu marshalling yard. The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (FTIA) made the procurement decision based on a tender on 7 April 2021, and the Mipro began the project in 2021.
This year, one of the most discussed themes in public discourse has been hostile influencing and cybersecurity. In line with this, our primary focus in safety management has been on information security and its management system, without neglecting other aspects of safety.
We would like to wish our customers and partners a peaceful holiday season and express our warmest thank you for the past year!
The application of different verification methods is a prominent part of the development process for safety related systems. Some methods are suitable for the early lifecycle phases, while others are best used later.
Mipro is committed to corporate responsibility in accordance with the United Nations Global Compact program (UNGC).
TRAKO 2023 is one of the biggest railway industry exhibitions and conferences in eastern Europe, taking place in Gdansk, Poland, from September 19th to 22nd. This biennial event brings together key players in the railway sector, including manufacturers, suppliers, operators, authorities, and industry experts, to showcase the latest advancements, innovations, and trends in the railway industry.
National railway signalling systems have gradually grown over time to include different solutions from several technology providers. There is no common standard for these systems’ external interfaces and interoperability has therefore always been a challenge. Typically, the integration between different interlockings, trackside elements and traffic management systems has been achieved by means of the tailor-made adaptation of proprietary interfaces. These adaptations are continuously maintained in order to address any lifecycle modifications in the installed base equipment.
Operating in accordance with good quality management principles is part of being a mipron. Continuous improvement is an essential part of our work culture, and the insights and ideas for improvement gained from internal and external audits guide and assist us. Mipro’s management system is certified according to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015, and the improvement proposals and tips given by external auditors have contributed to raising the quality of our operations.
Janne Leinonen has joined Mipro’s Board of Directors as of January 1, 2023. Leinonen completes Mipro’s board again to five members. The other board members, Stiina Snäll, Inga Laine, Matti Laine and Osmo Wilska, will continue in their duties as usual until the next annual general meeting.
Mipro’s core, railway safety and control systems, and water and energy supply systems, support and develop society’s critical infrastructure. We are deeply involved in developing a safe and environmentally friendly society. The past year has made the green transition, preparedness and continuity management significant themes of social discussion. What is crucial about the matter is that the questions that are familiar in the industries as such have gained air under their wings and issues are examined intersocially without the boundaries of silos. As mere knowledge and expertise have not moved development forward at a pace sufficient enough for the environment and society, now that emotions in these issues are involved, we are clearly seeing development progressing faster.
The interlocking system in Helsinki metro and its western extension (2017) has been implemented using a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) platform. The SIL4 HIMax based Mipro TCS-O interlocking has been controlling and supervising hundreds of trackside signalling elements and auxiliary safety-critical components, such as rolling fire doors, for five years now with excellent availability and safety. New functions and elements have been added to the system over the years. The system structure enabled a straightforward development and expansion of the existing system.
The automation systems for water supply processes are often scattered from different service providers. Someone supplies the automation, another the control room, and a third is responsible for the telecommunication connections. The entity, implemented by different suppliers, can be unnecessarily complicated for the end user, and in the event of a failure, you don’t really know who to contact. Making quick changes and troubleshooting slows down if the work requires the input of all different operators. If the cooperation between different actors does not go smoothly, it appears to the end users that “the system does not work” – perhaps making all parties look at fault at the same time. One fix or change results in invoices from many different directions, making it difficult to assess the customer’s total costs.
In the beginning of next year, an internationally unique training program that aims to develop circular economy design capabilities, is starting in Finland. The Circular Design – a path towards circular economy -training program is the first program aimed at companies, which delves into the designing principles and practical solutions of circular economy. Design Forum Finland, under the Ministry of Environment, and circular economy specialist Ethica Oy and their partners, are responsible for implementing the program.
