SBB Cargo starts looking for a partner
SBB AG is looking for partners for a minority stake of 10 to 49 per cent in SBB Cargo AG in order to strengthen the entrepreneurial orientation of the group. These include faster and more frequent connections, reserved routes and automation; all of this should help to successfully position SBB Cargo with increasing demands in the logistics chain of its customers.
the past few years, business with a focus on profitability has been reorganised and SBB Cargo AG has been able to post positive results for a long time in 2013, 2014 and 2016. The freight railway has increased its entrepreneurial performance since 2011 to the present day by CHF 200 million. After the setback in 2017, the freight transport division returned to profitability in the first half of 2018.
As early as 1999, SBB Cargo was transformed into a private limited company with the aim of being able to enter into joint ventures with third parties. Within the framework of the total revision of the Goods Transport Act (GüTG) in 2015, SBB suggested to position SBB Cargo more independently. In 2017, the Federal Council and Parliament approved the opening of the shareholder structure to a minority stake.
Part of the stronger entrepreneurial orientation is a new partner. The search for a minority interest in 10 to 49 per cent started on 20 September 2018. It includes the national freight transport business, including import and export business – ie wagonload traffic, combined transport and block train traffic of SBB. Future partners can participate in the development of Swiss freight transport and jointly shape the future of environmentally friendly and future-oriented rail transport.
Not part of the offer is SBB Cargo International AG; which is today a joint venture of SBB Cargo AG (75%) and Hupac S.A. (25%). This partnership model has been successfully implemented since 2011. As of the beginning of 2019, SBB Cargo International will be spun off from SBB Cargo AG and managed as an independent SBB subsidiary.
With almost a quarter of total freight traffic, SBB Cargo AG is the leading company in Swiss freight traffic and, as the backbone of the Swiss economy, connects the large domestic economic areas. Every day, the company transports around 210,000 tonnes of goods in wagonload, block train and combined transport – the equivalent of 5,250 fully loaded large trucks.
Sales in 2017 amounted to around CHF 960 million and included the subsidiaries SBB Cargo International (share: 75%) and ChemOil Logistics AG (share: 100%). The fleet comprises 5,278 freight cars, 324 track and 75 shunting locomotives. SBB Cargo was founded in 1999 as a private limited company as a subsidiary of SBB and currently employs around 3,100 people. The head office is in Olten.