Ateliers de construction du Centre

Ateliers de construction du Centre (ACC), also known as ACC M (Ateliers de construction du Centre Maintenance), is a French company specialising in the renovation and refurbishment of railway rolling stock. It was founded in 1919 on its current site on rue du Pré-la-Reine in Clermont-Ferrand, Puy-de-Dôme, in the aftermath of the First World War, when the urgent need was to repair freight wagons. The workshops had previously been used to manufacture bombs during the war. The site benefits from a rail connection to the national network and covers 34,000 m², with an additional 10,500 m² site dedicated to ancillary activities in the Brézet area. The company was absorbed by ACC Holding in 1997. It underwent a safeguard plan in 2012, and its financial position was severely affected in 2016 and 2017. In 2019, its railway maintenance division was taken over by the industrial group Thierry Torti Holding (TTH), which also controls other railway companies including Lorrainfer, TRR and Transalp Renouvellement. Of the 272 employees, 49 were not included in the takeover. The city of Clermont-Ferrand bought the buildings and land, while the engineering and systems division was taken over by Cégélec. The company was placed in judicial reorganisation on 7 February 2019 and in judicial liquidation on 30 October 2019, with the railway part sold to TTH (Lisses) and the engineering part to Cegelec Défense (Toulouse). Despite these difficulties, ACC M has secured major contracts. In 2017, RATP awarded it the renovation of 130 MF 77 metro trains for the Paris network, representing four years of work. The company's turnover tripled from €15 million in 2020 to €50 million in 2025, while its workforce grew from 179 employees in 2019 to more than 400 in 2026. In 2026, it inaugurated a 5,000 m² site in Albi (Tarn) dedicated to the refurbishment of light rolling stock such as TER regional trains, trams and metros, with fifty employees. The historic Clermont-Ferrand site then specialised in the renovation of heavy rolling stock, including SNCF Corail trains and regional TER trains. ACC M's achievements include the renovation of MS 61 trains for RER A in 2006 and MI 79 trains for RER B in 2015. During the 2010s, it was responsible for double-decker TER trains for the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Bourgogne regions. It has renovated trams for Grenoble and Strasbourg, and Alstom Citadis trams in Bordeaux, extending their lifespan by 10 years. It also completed the first phase of the refurbishment of the Clermont-Ferrand rubber-tyred tramway, delivering 16 of 30 trains. ACC M restored Orient-Express carriages during the 2000s and 2010s, renewing interior decorations using period techniques. It also renovated the interior fittings and bogies of SNCF Corail trains. From 2017, it renovated 130 MF 77 metros for RATP to ensure continued operation of lines 7, 8 and 13 pending the arrival of MF 19 trains.

Ateliers de construction du Centre (ACC) was founded in 1919 on its current site on rue du Pré-la-Reine in Clermont-Ferrand, Puy-de-Dôme. In the aftermath of the First World War, the urgent need was to repair freight wagons. The workshops on the site had been used to manufacture bombs during the war. The site benefits from a rail connection to the national network and covers 34,000 m², with an additional 10,500 m² site dedicated to ancillary activities in the Brézet area. In 1997, the Ateliers de Construction du Centre were absorbed by ACC Holding. The company underwent a safeguard plan in 2012, and its financial position was severely affected in 2016 and 2017. In 2019, the railway maintenance division of ACC was taken over by the industrial group Thierry Torti Holding (TTH), which controls several other railway companies: Lorrainfer, a manufacturer of freight and works wagons; the railway services company TRR; and the mobile rail renewal plants of Transalp Renouvellement, known as "suites rapides". Of the 272 employees, 49 were not affected by the takeover. The city of Clermont-Ferrand bought the buildings and land. The engineering and systems division was taken over by Cégélec. On 7 February 2019, the company was placed in judicial reorganisation. On 30 October 2019, it was placed in judicial liquidation. The railway part was sold to TTH (Lisses) and the engineering part to Cegelec Défense (Toulouse). In 2017, RATP awarded ACC the renovation of 130 MF 77 metro trains for the Paris network, representing four years of work for the company. Subsequently, ACC M's turnover tripled from €15 million in 2020 to €50 million in 2025. At the same time, the company grew from 179 employees in 2019 to more than 400 in 2026. In 2026, it inaugurated a 5,000 m² site in Albi (Tarn). It is to carry out the refurbishment of light rolling stock, such as TER regional trains, trams or metros, with fifty employees. The historic Clermont-Ferrand site then specialised in the renovation of heavy rolling stock (SNCF Corail trains or regional TER trains). Among its achievements, the company renovated MS 61 trains for RER A in 2006, then completed the renovation of MI 79 trains for RER B in 2015. During the 2010s, it was responsible for double-decker TER trains for the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Bourgogne regions. It renovated trams for Grenoble and Strasbourg, and Alstom Citadis trams in Bordeaux (extending their lifespan by 10 years). It also completed the first phase of the refurbishment of the Clermont-Ferrand rubber-tyred tramway, with the delivery of 16 trains (out of 30 in total). ACC M restored Orient-Express carriages during the 2000s and 2010s, renewing interior decorations using period techniques. The company also renovated the interior fittings and bogies of SNCF Corail trains. From 2017, it renovated 130 MF 77 metros for RATP to ensure continued operation of lines 7, 8 and 13 of the Paris network pending the arrival of MF 19 trains.

• 2026

  Inauguration of a 5,000 m² site in Albi (Tarn) for light rolling stock refurbishment; workforce exceeds 400.

• 2025

  Turnover of €50 million.

• 2020

  Turnover of €15 million.

• 2019

  Railway maintenance division taken over by Thierry Torti Holding (TTH); judicial reorganisation on 7 February and judicial liquidation on 30 October.

• 2017

  RATP awarded renovation of 130 MF 77 metro trains.

• 2015

  Completed renovation of MI 79 trains for RER B.

• 2012

  Subject to a safeguard plan.

• 2006

  Renovation of MS 61 trains for RER A.

• 1997

  Absorbed by ACC Holding.

• 1919

  Founded on rue du Pré-la-Reine in Clermont-Ferrand.

Specialist in railway rolling stock renovation and refurbishment, with expertise in heavy and light maintenance, serving French public transport operators.

• 2006

  Renovation of MS 61 trains for RER A

• 2015

  Renovation of MI 79 trains for RER B

• 2017

  Renovation of 130 MF 77 metro trains for RATP

• Refurbishment of Orient-Express carriages

• Renovation of Corail trains interior and bogies

• Tramway renovation for Grenoble, Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand

1. 1Ateliers de construction du Centrefr.wikipedia.org
2. 2Wikidatawikidata.org