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.
Customer: Private equity company
Within the scope of an open bidding procedure, a European component supplier in the rolling stock industry was up for sale. A leading financial investor in Europe commissioned SCI Verkehr to provide strategic market support in the preliminary work for a commercial due diligence. SCI Verkehr analysed the documents for the vendor?s due diligence and assessed the future market for the specific products and services of the target, as well as the competitive position of the company. Furthermore, SCI Verkehr analysed and assessed the specific opportunities and risks of the transaction and prepared questions for the target?s management.
Customer: A group in the food industry
A company in the food industry is aiming for standardising organisational structures of its German production sites. SCI Verkehr accompanies the discussion process between management and employee representatives and provides input with regards to designing concepts of positions (organization chart, positional designations) as well as concerning the development of tasks and responsibilities for the new positions.
Customer: European railway transport company
On behalf of a European railway transport company, SCI Verkehr defined and assessed potential services for third parties in regional rail transport. The objective was to develop new business fields and to prepare the market entry. For this purpose, SCI Verkehr identified services along the entire value chain in regional rail passenger transport and assessed their marketability. In the context of the project, initial talks with potential customers (transport companies, authorities, providers) have already been held.
Customer: European freight wagon manufacturer and maintenance provider
SCI Verkehr supplied data on the freight wagon market in Europe to a European maintenance provider and freight wagon manufacturer. In addition to information on the fleet composition of individual fleet managers, data on the purchase price development for new freight wagons in Continental Europe was delivered.
Customer: European leasing company
SCI Verkehr supported a leasing company operating all across Europe in the reuse of their own regional rail vehicle fleet. For this, suitable sub-networks were identified and analysed. The vehicle requirements of the transport contracts in question were assessed with regard to their technical feasibility and the resulting investments. Additionally, the valuation criteria for the operation of used vehicles were analysed. SCI Verkehr provided additional support in consulting with regional rail transport authorities.
Customer: German rail freight operator
Within the scope of a portfolio analysis, SCI Verkehr undertook a comprehensive market valuation, which identified the competition and market dynamic of various potential markets. The following partial results were provided in the process: Identification of main competitors in each potential market, valuation of strategic rationale as well as its medium-term development in each potential market, valuation of market position and intensity of competition as well as the development of each potential market in comparison to the development of the rail freight sector as a whole.
Customer: Investor
On behalf of an investor, SCI Verkehr prepares a valuation update for steel-carrier wagons. SCI Verkehr assesses the steel-carrier wagons by means of the income-based DCF and cost-based DRC method.
Customer: Bank
On behalf of a financing bank, SCI Verkehr continuously assesses a fleet of electric multiple units. Focus is put on performed maintenance and repair work as well the condition of the vehicles.
Customer: Leasing financer
In the context of refinancing, SCI Verkehr assessed the current market value of electric multiple units operated in cross-border traffic. The assessment also included an on-site inspection of the rolling stock.
Customer: European Commission
System definition and architecture of an Intelligent Freight Train, including technical feasibility and economical analysis, based on the experiences of the European railways, explicitely DB AG (Germany), SNCF (France) and FS (Italy) and on performance parameters, evaluation criteria and functional specifications to be develloped in the project (partly based on related earlier EC research projects. The project is carried out by German, French, Dutch, Italian and British railway companies, research institutes, industry and consulting firms.
Customer: Transport industry association
On behalf of a transport industry association, SCI Verkehr compiled an overview over all German regional rail transport tenders from 2016 to 2025 which is regularly updated. A particular focus was placed on wage and social standards. The SCI DATABASE, in which all regional rail transport tenders are compiled, was used as a basis for this analysis.
Customer: State ministry of transport
On behalf of a German state ministry, SCI Verkehr devised a stakeholder participation as a follow-up to a survey and appraisal of logistics areas. The objective is to let local and regional stakeholders review the suitability of the respective areas for logistics use, after the areas had been selected by the logistics sector.
Customer: Industrial company
An industrial wasteland in the centre of the Ruhr Valley is the subject of plans for new industrial and/or logistical development. With regard to marketing the areas, it has to be decided whether to keep the existing private siding and, if so, in what form. SCI Verkehr has derived a railway-related development concept based on the relevant technical, legal and economical factors. It includes various different strategies for the detailed conversion of the area needed to best meet the requirements of the (still unknown) companies wishing to locate in the area, the sequence of the development stages, costs and revenues from construction and operation and how these would be distributed between involved parties. With the aid of well-founded/backed up documents, SCI Verkehr has been able to accompany the entire decision process regarding the dismantling or keeping of the private siding.
Customer: European railway company
On behalf of a railway transport company, SCI Verkehr prepares a growth strategy for the European market. In this context, specific potentials for the company in terms of PSO contracts as well as in open access are assessed with regards to feasibility and economic efficiency. All parts of value creation through transport services are considered. As a result, SCI Verkehr outlined different scenarios of market entry.
Customer: Global player in the food industry
Changes in the client?s product and packaging mix led to an open discussion about the site structure in both production and logistics. Not only the future scale and location of the sites were up for discussion, but also the issue of the function of individual areas of production and logistics. SCI Verkehr hosted the dialogue between the employees and employer on these matters and incorporated its experience in supporting site changes into the discussion process.
Customer: State of Berlin
Comparison of specific cost types to those of other commuter rail systems in Germany by means of defined, meaningful benchmarks. Identification of cost reduction potentials, possible ways ans implications of their realisation. Support to the client in the design of the transport service contract. Coordination of a joint negotiation strategy and participation in the trials. Survey of arguments and recommendations to the client.
Customer: Midsized producer in the food industry
A midsized company in the food industry had to generate significant savings in the production processes in order to remain competitive in the market. SCI Verkehr identified saving potential in production and hosted the subsequent dialogue between the works council and management.