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

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.

Investor discussions

Customer: European leasing company

In the context of a due diligence of a European leasing company, SCI Verkehr held discussions with investors on the current and expected future market situation in European transport and leasing markets.

Market potential analysis for innovative infrastructure components

Customer: Industrial group

On behalf of an industrial group, SCI Verkehr analysed the market potential for innovative infrastructure components. The focus was placed on a market and competition analysis in Germany, France and Italy.

Market Analyses Examples

Brief assessment of locomotive leasing in Europe

Customer: Financial investor

On behalf of a financial investor, SCI Verkehr assessed the future development of the market for locomotive leasing with a focus on Central Europe. The analysis included supply and demand as well as critical success factors.

Ascertainment of short-, medium, and long-term building projects of railway traffic and infrastructure enterprises in Germany

Customer: Building company

Preparation of a sales promotional market study for ascertainment of short-, medium, and long-term building projects of railway traffic and infrastructure enterprises with the exception of DB Netz AG in Germany. Evaluation of the most important trends, market volumes, and demand behaviour of NE railways.

Traffic-dependent service

Customer: IT company

The selection of a rapid urban railway system with capability for flexible operation requires in-depth knowledge of the general conditions of construction and operation of European transport companies. Therefore, on the request of a company from the telecommunications sector, SCI Verkehr undertook a study of rapid urban transport lines operated by European transport companies and rated their possible uses and potential for flexible operations management.

Asset Valuations Examples

Evaluation of an electric locomotive fleet

Customer: Rail vehicle lessor

SCI Verkehr prepared an annual fleet valuation for single, multi-system and dual-mode locomotives for a European locomotive lessor. An income-based valuation approach was chosen for the valuation.

Valuation of a bulk freight wagon

Customer: International financer

SCI Verkehr appraised a new bulk freight wagon which will be used for specialised transports. For the appraisal of a residual value, SCI Verkehr used a cost-based DCF approach as well as an income-based DCF approach. Special attention was paid to reuse scenarios in a regional market and the assessment of risks of obsolescence.

Vehicle assessment modern single and multi-system locomotives

Customer: Leasing company rolling stock

On behalf of a leading rail vehicle lessor, SCI Verkehr values heavy electric single and multi-system locomotives by analysing the value stability of the assets as well as supply and demand in the relevant country markets. The valuation is carried out using the income-based DCF methodology.

Public Consulting Examples

Regional Conferences RRX

Customer: State of North Rhine-Westphalia

The Rhein-Ruhr-Express (RRX) is the most important rail project in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and, starting 2017, will even gain in significance in public perception due to beginning infrastructure expansion as well as delivery of new electric multiple units. Therefore, on behalf of the Ministry of Construction, Housing, Urban Development, and Transport of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and CP Compartners, SCI Verkehr accompanied regional conferences on the topic RRX. For this purpose, SCI Verkehr examined transport-related, economic, as well as environmental benefits for the areas Rhineland, Rhine-Ruhr and Westphalia and discussed the results among experts.

Analysis of logistics sites focusing particularly on rail connections

Customer: Company for economic development

Sidings and direct railway connections have played virtually no role at all when marketing sites over the past years. With the rising problems for road freight transport (traffic jams, transport capacity bottlenecks), logistical concepts making use of the railways are becoming ever more interesting for the freight shipping industry. On behalf of a transregional company for economic development SCI Verkehr is examining three former industrial sites with regard to their logistical suitability, taking into particular consideration the tracks existing at the sites. The result of the study is a marketing concept focusing specifically on those companies with a tendency to transport goods by rail.

Market Entry and support of a network of nine regional railways and a logistics service provider

Customer: Logistic company

The first step is based on a master plan developed by SCI Verkehr. The plan outlines how single vehicle transport could be developed in North Rhine-Westphalia by creating a Network Organisation for Railway Logistics (O.N.E. North Rhine-Westphalia). The publication and market positioning are agreed upon in close cooperation with the participants and are presented at the 2002 VDV Annual convention. They are accompanied by the production of necessary presentation documents, a brochure, a topic-specific mailing to decision makers in the region and potential cargo transport clients in North Rhine-Westphalia. A customer drop-in center for the coordination of these activities is opened.

Profitability Analyses Examples

Application for rail sidings subsidies

Customer: Medium-sized forwarding company

A medium-sized forwarding company is planning to extend its existing railways siding and to improve it by setting up a handling hall. In order to construct these facilities, the company will seek governmental subsidies from the sidings track support programme of the Federal Republic of Germany. SCI Verkehr was commissioned to take a leading part in supporting the company´s application.

Market study on freight wagon leasing

Customer:

SCI Verkehr supported a newly-founded leasing company by preparing a market study and analysing standard market input parameters for a business plan.

Process optimisations Examples

Examining the shutdown of a logistics location

Customer: Global player in food industry

A major company in the food industry is intending to close a location in Germany and replace it with a pure cross dock to slim down stocks and save costs. However, the supply quality for customers must not suffer. The task is to examine and assess the planned measures with regard to plausibility and their logistical effect.

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.