Strategic business consulting for the railway and logistics industry

SCI Verkehr is a medium-sized, sustainability-oriented consultancy focussing on strategic issues in the international rail and logistics business. We support our business partners in optimising their processes and evaluating their assets. We help to analyse markets and develop sustainable and tailor-made strategies for the future. This includes, among other things: Accompanying M&A activities, realising climate targets, optimising the portfolio or existing processes, and opening up new markets and business areas.

Strategic Management Consultancy Examples

Medium-sized chemical logistics specialist

Customer: Medium-sized chemical logistics specialist

A leading chemical logistics company which maintains its own truck fleet in addition to using external capacities is looking to finalise the integration of said fleet. External acquisitions had led to a rapid expansion in fleet size and since the fleet also serves as the service department for the business units of the company, various interfaces have developed. SCI Verkehr was tasked with changing the organisational structures of the fleet and re-defining the interfaces. In addition, the next organisational model had to be scalable and usable for other acquisitions.

Strategic advice to a logistics service provider on the development of rail products

Customer:  Logistics Group 

Together with partners, SCI Verkehr is supporting a globally active logistics group in the strategic reorientation of its transports towards more rail transport. The activities are taking place in the context of implementing the group's CO2 targets. In the process, the relevant transport markets are analysed and, as a result, options are examined, e.g. for the development of own capacities, partnerships or acquisitions.

Valuation of potential foreign markets

Customer:

On behalf of a financier, SCI Verkehr analysed and evaluated potential foreign markets. In doing so, both the market development and the market environment were considered. This was intended to help identify risks and challenges when entering the market.

Market Analyses Examples

Analysis European locomotive market

Customer: Leasing company

On behalf of a leasing company, SCI Verkehr analysed the current situation and future development of the European locomotive market. For this, current procurement volumes as well as production capacities were analysed to present an outlook on the future supply and demand structure.

Compilation and analysis current fleets in selected target markets

Customer: Service Provider

On behalf of a client, SCI Verkehr compiled various rail vehicle fleets in selected target markets and analysed the rolling stock regarding its age structure, installed power and the relevance of different type series.

Investment strategy for a freight wagon lessor

Customer: Freight wagon lessor

SCI Verkehr analysed the market and price development for a freight wagon lessor. Based on the market analysis, SCI derived an investment strategy for the following five years. Moreover, SCI analysed the customer demand for relevant innovations.

Asset Valuations Examples

Survey hopper wagons North America

Customer: German financial institute

In the context of planned financing of hopper wagons (covered hoppers) in North America, SCI Verkehr carries out a residual value appraisal for a German bank. Fair market value and orderly liquidation value are determined based on asset and market analysis.

Valuation of Pre-owned Multisystem Locomotives

Customer: Financial service provider

On behalf of a financial service provider, SCI Verkehr assesses the current market value of pre-owned multisystem locomotives for cross-border traffic in Europe by means of DCF and DRC valuation. The focus is on identifying obsolescence risks.

Asset valuation passenger coaches

Customer: Lessor

SCI Verkehr determines the future market values of a passenger coaches fleet in the European market for a lessor. A particular focus is on the analysis of expected useful lives and redeployment possibilities, especially in open access transport.

Public Consulting Examples

Technical support of the LogMit project appeal

Customer: Jülich Research Centre

In January 2005, the Ministry for Economics, Mid-sized Companies and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia started the project appeal ?logistics of mid-sized companies? (LogMit ? Logistik in Mittelstand). By means of this appeal, projects are to be generated which will support small and medium-sized logistics companies in terms of structural change in the second target area of North Rhine-Westphalia. The projects financed will be predominantly concerned with equipping logistics companies with state-of-the-art IT and telematics solutions. Within the framework of LogMit, the project organiser ETN of the Research Centre in Jülich is responsible for technical handling incoming orders from companies. For ETN, SCI Verkehr is taking over the technical support service of the petitioner in the initial stages, as well as the contextual assessment of incoming proposals.

Vision for the 2005 North Rhine-Westphalia Railway Competence Center

Customer: North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of Economics

Market study of testing needs for railway vehicles and components in Germany and neighbouring countries. Conception of an extended Railway competency center in Wegberg-Wildenrath, in accordance with the forecast of needs for 2005.

Cooperative development of logistics in the metropolitan area of Hamburg (KOPLAS)

Customer: Consortium of local communities

On behalf of the lower-saxon counties in the Hamburg metropolitan area, SCI Verkehr and Planquadrat Dortmund developes recommendations for the development of logistics sites and summarises the results as a code of practice for subsequent projects.

Profitability Analyses Examples

Strategy development own fleet

Customer: Global player in the beverage industry

A global player in the beverage industry operates its own truck fleet in order to distribute its products in Germany. SCI Verkehr was commissioned to develop a strategy for the fleet´s further development, taking into account external influences (e.g. transport market) as well as internal structures. The process was closely coordinated with the customer and employee representatives and a joint implementation process was agreed upon.

Profitability audit e-bus procurement

Customer: Transport authority

SCI Verkehr evaluated the economic feasibility of the selected bids for a transport authority in the context of a procurement of new urban transport vehicles. To this purpose, SCI Verkehr evaluated the tender documents and carried out a price benchmark to determine standard market prices for e-buses and their charging infrastructure.

Support CDD to an Intermodal Terminal

Customer: strategic investor

SCI Verkehr supported a strategic investor in its commercial due diligence on an intermodal terminal (rail-road) in Germany. This involved accompanying the development of the investor's valuation approach, assessing operational benefits/opportunities and analysing development potential.

Process optimisations Examples

Maintenance location and portfolio assessment

Customer: maintenance specialist

Definitions of the optimal location and performance for a vehicle workshop in western North Rhine Westphalia.

Project management reorganisation sales

Customer: International transport company

On behalf of an international transport company, SCI Verkehr took on the management of a project entailing reorganising the sales department. The project is aimed at developing a uniform sales organisation as well as professionalising the public image. SCI Verkehr supports the customer in organising the project and in terms of content-related sparring.

Optimisation potentials in rail vehicle maintenance

Customer: Private sector

SCI Verkehr is considering possible optimisation potentials in rail vehicle maintenance on behalf of a railway transport company. The focus of the project is on improving the employment of human resources. This is to be achieved by, among other things, increasing the vertical range of manufacturing, "make or buy" decisions and extending the existing range of activities of the staff. In addition, the expansion of the company?s activities is also analysed, for example, through the implementation of a vehicle leasing or rental business and its effects on employment.