At the Exposition Universelle (1867) in Paris, the company exhibited a locomotive, passenger coaches, an iron goods wagon, and a steam rail crane.

[5] The company manufactured a wide variety of rolling stock (locomotives, carriages, specialised freight wagons) for clients, including the Belgian railways, private French railways, as well as exporting to Spain, Portugal, and other European countries; China, Turkey, and Indochina; as well as to African and South American countries.

The situation became one of national interest, with the workers receiving support from trade unions across the country; the prime minister, Paul Vanden Boeynants, visited the factory to seek a resolution.

On 1 June 1967, the workers returned to work, after several mitigation measures had been instigated, including short term transfer of staff to other rolling stock manufacturing companies, and large orders given to the metal fabrication plant.

[21][22] In 1969, the site of the plant in La Croyère was acquired by developer Société Frabelmar and a hypermarket of 6,000 m2 (65,000 sq ft), plus leisure facilities, was built, and opened in December 1970.

[23][n 6] Amongst other production in the 1930s, the Franco-Belge in Raismes manufactured Beyer, Peacock & Company designed 4-6-2+2-6-4 high speed (82 mph (132 km/h) achieved) 'Garratt' locomotives for Algeria,[24] and also carriages for an imperial train built for Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia.

[28] In the late 1970s, the company won an order for 118 aluminium metro railcars (CQ310 series) for the MARTA subway system in Atlanta, USA.

[29] In 1982, the company, then known as Soferval-franco-belge (Société ferroviaire du Valenciennes), was acquired by Alstom after a period of poor management and financial problems.

The factory site is adjacent to a rail test track established at the beginning of the 21st century,[31] the Centre d'Essais Ferroviaire, which is 61% owned by Alstom (2012).

[35] At the beginning of the 21st century, the plant's future was uncertain; by 2009, the situation had reversed — the factory had contracts for production till 2016, and employed 1350 people.