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

Portfolio Assessment of Leasing Fleet for Refinancing

Customer: International leasing company

As basis for refinancing, SCI Verkehr determines the current market value and expected value-over-time of a rolling stock fleet, owned by a leading European leasing company. Income-based DCF valuation is applied for value assessment of locomotives, rail cars, freight wagons and passenger coaches. The expected market and competitive developments are decisive input factors for rolling stock assessment.

Commercial Due Diligence rail vehicle lessor

Customer:

SCI Verkehr supported an infrastructure fund in the acquisition of a rail vehicle leasing company by preparing a commercial due diligence report (CDD). SCI Verkehr analysed the development of the transport and rail vehicle markets, customer competitors and evaluated the complete rail vehicle fleet. In addition, SCI Verkehr carried out a determination of the current and future market value of the assets.

Analysis of intermodal transport in Europe

Customer: Infrastructure fund

SCI Verkehr supports a commercial due diligence process in the field of intermodal transport in Europe. Transport development, segmentation of the market, short and long term forecasts, new technologies and their potential as well as the capacity of current infrastructure are analysed.

Market Analyses Examples

Data supply for a private equity company

Customer: French private equity company

On behalf of a private equity company SCI provides data comprising a market forecast for the period 2019-2023 and a project list commencing in 2005 for 20 countries with the largest rail markets worldwide. All rolling stock components were considered, excluding freight wagons.

The German track construction market

Customer: Private sector

Pointing out the relevant track and overpass construction in the German market. Rough estimate of market development and volume.

Analyse of the timber economy

Customer: Port Company

SCI Verkehr analysed the potential target market of the timber economy on behalf of a German port company. In addition, a source-drain view between the acquisition of raw wood material and the timber transformation industry was developed. The result was an overview of the location and transportation structure of the timber economy as well as a card index of potential clients for the assigning port company.

Asset Valuations Examples

Brief analysis of North American diesel locomotives

Customer: International bank

Regarding the financing of diesel locomotives for the North American market, SCI Verkehr has analysed the market risks of the assets on behalf of an international bank.

Valuation of used diesel multiple units

Customer: Financier

On behalf of a financier, SCI Verkehr assesses the current and future expected vehicle value of used diesel railcars. The valuation is carried out taking into account the cost-based RC valuation approach as well as including known used vehicle transactions and an analysis of the secondary market.

Asset valuation of modern mainline locomotives

Customer: International private equity investment company

SCI Verkehr supported an international investment company in the financing of modern mainline locomotives. Based on a market analysis and an extensive asset benchmark, SCI Verkehr valued the assets using the DRC valuation approach.

Public Consulting Examples

Restructuring of port concept in North Rhine-Westphalia

Customer: North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of Transport

The Ministry of Transport in North Rhine-Westphalia is planning to restructure the state?s port concept, the data base of which derives from the year 2002. To this end, SCI Verkehr is running broad-ranging analyses of flows of goods and is developing, together with additional partners, a strategy for the most important ports in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Competence-net Logistics.NRW

Customer: LOG-IT Club e.V.

In April 2018, the competence-net Logistics.NRW was launched as innovation and partner network of the state of NRW. Activities of the network are directed at the subject areas of innovation and digitalisation in particular. On behalf of LOG-IT Club eV., SCI Verkehr, in close cooperation with the alliance of transport economics and logistics, organises all specialist and organisational activities related to continuous networking.

Development Railway industry

Customer: Hans Böckler Foundation

On behalf of the Hans-Böckler Foundation, SCI Verkehr analysed the industrial and operational challenges and development corridors of the railway industry in Germany. The focus of the analysis was placed on the comprehensive assessment of the German railway industry, an evaluation of the main sales regions as well as important market drivers and trends. Based on these values, SCI Verkehr identified development corridors for supporting the railway industry. The results of the study were also incorporated in the so-called "Rail Summit" of the federal government in the summer of 2015.

Profitability Analyses Examples

Market analysis painting raw materials

Customer: Globally active chemical company

On behalf of a globally active chemical company, SCI Verkehr analysed the market potential for painting raw materials. The in-depth analysis evaluated the market potential for these materials and provided a basis for further strategic planning.

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.

Economic feasibility study for factory fleet

Customer:

SCI Verkehr was commissioned to examine the economic viability of a large fleet of factory vehicles for the distribution of an industrial company. To this end, scenarios were developed as to how general conditions would have to change in order to increase the profitability of the fleet.

Process optimisations Examples

Registration of railway companies in Poland

Customer: Industry

Working for an interested company, all corporate and administrative as well as technical preconditions for obtaining registration as railway transport company in Poland were ascertained. The information was analysed in terms of potential for action and risks and provided in the form of a structured guide.

Supporting outsourcing planning

Customer: Luxury foods manufacturer

A leading company in the luxury foods industry is planning to reorganise its distribution process, which it has performed itself with its own sites and vehicles up to now. The company now intends to contract these services to a logistics service provider (outsourcing). SCI Verkehr is checking the concept put together by the customer internally for plausibility and is giving useful advice for the further negotiations with the service provider.

Reorganisation of logistical and administrative processes at storage facilities

Customer: Commercial company

An important German commercial company gradually bundled its storage structures (five locations) into one central company unit. Within the course of the integration of the fourth location into the new structures, administrative and logistical processes had to be standardised and prepared for a later ISO certification. SCI Verkehr has organised an operational excellence process with management, local managers and staff to develop the best possible solution for the organisation. In this process new standardised procedures have been developed, documented and then introduced as compulsory. SCI Verkehr has overseen the implementation of the new working methods at several locations on-site.