Strategic business consulting for the railway and logistics industry

SCI Verkehr is an independent and highly specialised management consultancy focusing on strategic issues in the international rail and logistics business. We support our business partners in industry and politics by analysing markets and developing viable and tailor-made strategies for the future. This includes asset valuation, support for M&A activities, optimisation of portfolios and existing processes, as well as the development of new markets and business areas.

Strategic Management Consultancy Examples

Process and organizational consulting in IT

Customer:

A global player in the beverage industry is planning to restructure its IT and support departments and subsequently establish them in Europe. SCI Verkehr was commissioned to review and further develop this strategy, and to accompany the negotiations with the employee representatives.

Strategic repositioning of a leading European rail freight company

Customer: Internationally leading rail freight company

A leading company in the European rail freight market has executed an extensive project for strategic repositioning, reorganisation and process setup with the help of SCI Verkehr. SCI Verkehr provided support in the areas of project management as well as with specific projects. For this, market and competition expectations were reviewed and benchmarks for the positioning of production- and sales-related units were developed. SCI Verkehr prepared, monitored and evaluated the successful implementation.

Market and competition analysis for selected submarkets of wayside control, command and signalling systems

Customer: Internationally operating railway technology company

SCI Verkehr conducted a market and competition analysis in the field of signal box technology and level crossing safety systems in selected countries on behalf of an international railway technology company. The study examined the technological, economic, and regulatory framework conditions, identified key market drivers, and forecast future market developments over a period of ten years. The aim of the analysis was to derive strategic recommendations for action to position the company in a dynamically developing market environment.

Market Analyses Examples

Workshop on public procurement strategies for PTA

Customer: Financier

SCI Verkehr conducted a workshop with a financier on the award strategies of public transport authorities in regional passenger transport. The topics covered were new vehicle procurement, vehicle financing, concept and quality rating as well as the effects of the Abellio crisis on the future strategies of the regional rail transport authorities in Germany.

Market analysis train radio communication

Customer: International rolling stock manufacturer

On behalf of an industrial company, SCI Verkehr analyses the market for train radio systems in the CIS region. For this purpose, locomotive platform development, signalling as well as radio equipment were benchmarked.

Potential of shifting road transport to rail

Customer: Rail freight operator

SCI Verkehr analyses road transport volume and prices for selected routes in Europe. The potential for shifting goods from road to rail is estimated based on these findings. Moreover, an overview of the intermodal segment as well as the main international transport flows in Europe are provided as a background for the potential analysis.

Asset Valuations Examples

Value development of EMUs

Customer: Private operator

SCI Verkehr analysed the value development for electric multiple units (EMU) for a rail operator. This also included an evaluation of long-term possibilities for the deployment of multiple units.

Asset valuation of used shunting locomotives

Customer: Manufacturer

On behalf of rolling stock manufacturer, SCI Verkehr prepared an asset valuation of used heavy shunting locomotives. The valuation of the locomotives was carried out using the cost-based DRC method. In the process, technical and operational aspects (eg. LCC) as well as market environment and competitive situation have been examined. A focus was put on current modernisation and revision costs.

Annual valuation update of a rolling stock portfolio

Customer: International leasing company

On behalf of a leasing company, SCI Verkehr valued a rail vehicle portfolio consisting of passenger vehicles and freight locomotives. SCI Verkehr prepared an update of the existing DCF valuation according to IFRS 13 to IVS 2020 with a special focus on the impact of the Ukraine war on rail transport.

Public Consulting Examples

Logistics Park Spich/Troisdorf

Customer: Society for the promotion of economic development

The aim of the consulting activities is the development of a multi-industry target client analysis for a planned logistics park in North Rhine-Westphalia. The preparation of location marketing activities is also part of the goal. The main focus of our services is to develop market knowledge about the target industries. Relevant actors and potential companies within the identified industries will be ascertained. These will be primary contact persons for location marketing.

Profitability Analyses Examples

Evaluation of different effects of Digital Automatic Coupling (DAK) on the performance of rail freight traffic

Customer: Railway undertaking

On behalf of a railway undertaking, SCI Verkehr is analysing the effects of the introduction of Digital Automatic Coupling (DAK) on the performance of rail freight transport. As part of a meta-study, SCI Verkehr summarises the results of various studies on the DAK and its effects in line and shunting operations and evaluates them with regard to an increase in capacity after the successful migration of the DAK after 2030.

Support for reorganising industrial processes

Customer:

The German subsidiary of a global beverage company wanted to reorganise its structures in the fields of administration, sales, logistics and vending. SCI Verkehr was commissioned to examine and further develop the documents and scenarios that had been prepared. In addition, SCI Verkehr accompanied negotiations with the employee representatives, and prepared content for the negotiations.

Intermodal Network Cost Analysis

Customer: Global shipping company

For a globally operating transport logistics company, SCI Verkehr developed a hub-and-spoke network for maritime intermodal transport and analysed the associated cost savings compared to the company’s current hinterland network. To do this, an internally developed cost model for intermodal transport was used and applied to the customer\'s actual transport flows. The analysis serves as input for the strategic development of the customer\'s port hinterland transport business.

Process optimisations Examples

Strategic realignment of leading European freight railway

Customer: Leading European freight railway

The commissioning railway company active in European rail freight transport is in an economically strained situation with clearly decreasing market shares, declining transport services and unsatisfactory performance. Defined objectives of the company are to increase production stability, reorganise operations of sales and production as well as increasing productivity and economic improvement of selected areas of operation. SCI Verkehr was commissioned to monitor and accompany the process as expert consultant.

Restructuring logistical processes at a production site

Customer: Global player in the food industry

Our client took over a site previously operated by a service provider and at the beginning of 2008 integrated it into its network of sites across Germany. This integration included major changes to the processes and the IT system which had to be adapted to the requirements of the new owner. At the same time, the production and distribution volume increased substantially, as well as production exchange with other sites. These changes led to overworking and uncertainty among staff and consequently considerable deficits in the site?s performance. Within the scope of the "operational excellence" process, SCI Verkehr led and accompanied the modelling of new logistical processes with staff and company management. The consultancy process focused on using the existing employee know-how in order to achieve a higher level of acceptance for the necessary changes and thus a sustainable improvement of performance. Following SCI Verkehr?s ?Operational Excellence Tool?, the staff were involved in reviewing the current situation and developing improved processes in accordance with a tried and tested process. In addition, the task involved coaching the logistical managers at the site and thus cementing the new structures.

Organizational change of a nationwide logistics organisation

Customer: Global player of the beverage industry

A global player of the beverage industry wants to standardize the management structures of its German logistics centres and make them sustainable. In the course of an implementation project in two pilot regions in Germany, SCI Verkehr analysed the current organizational structure and executed the migration into a new, homogenous structure. All steps were undertaken in cooperation with all relevant management levels as well as employee representation. Following the project, this structure is to be transferred to the remaining five German regions.