ÖBB joins contract logistics activities in a new company

ÖBB’s subgroup Rail Cargo Austria aims to win more market shares through continuous internationalisation

 
The ÖBB board is preparing to having to bear the restructuring of their contract logistics business by own means. “To this end we will join operations in this segment in a single company named European Contract Logistics", Mag. Christian Kern, CEO ÖBB Holding AG, announced at the press conference on financial statements.
 
The new company for general cargo logistics, warehousing/distribution and value added services has about 2,000 employees and generates annual turnover of approximately EUR 220 million. The objective of the ÖBB board is to quickly lead contract logistics business back to profit zone. In the 2012 financial year this business segment showed losses of about EUR 3 million.
 
On the press conference Christian Kern confirmed his interest in strategic partnerships with contract logistics companies. If no solution can be found that way, return to profit zone – turnaround – must be accomplished on their own, he stated to the press.
 
Apart from that, the Rail Cargo Austria subgroup has the objective to win further market shares through continued internationalisation of the production and sales segment in the coming years. Following the expansion of own traction to Italy, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic and Slovenia, a focus is put on Turkish customers. According to a statement of Christian Kern to the Austrian logistics magazine Österreichische Verkehrszeitung they will develop efficient concepts for rail cargo transport on the routes from/to Koper and Trieste for the Turkish customers.
 
In a difficult market environment Rail Cargo Austria achieved significant improvements in sales thanks to several measures increasing the productivity and withdrawal from unprofitable business. With sales revenues of EUR 2.34 billion (-7%) they generated positive results of EUR 29 million (2011: EUR -48.6 million).
 
9,784 employees managed transport volume of 113 million tonnes, which is 9 per cent below last year’s level. Conventional wagon load transport accounted for 85 million tonnes thereof (-9%); unaccompanied multimodal transport for 17.1 million tonnes (-10%). Rolling road volume declined by 30 per cent to 9.4 million tonnes. Contract logistics accounted for about 1.5 million tonnes (-12%).

Quelle: LogEastics

Portal: www.logistik-express.com