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

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.

Identification of targets for realization of external growth

Customer: Globally active component manufacturer

SCI Verkehr assisted a globally active manufacturer of components in identifying targets for the realization of external growth. For this, a quick scan of the worldwide component markets in the railway technology sector was created. Subsequently, the possible targets were identified. Based on SCI Verkehr' s company data base, more than 1,000 manufacturers were picked according to an expert evaluation, assessed in depth based on specific criteria and selected within a deep-dive valuation.

Commercial and technical due diligence locomotive portfolio

Customer: Financier

On behalf of a financial investor, SCI Verkehr supports the company in the context of a due diligence process with regard to technical and commercial matters. This includes asset evaluation of an electro locomotive fleet for the European market, technical inspection of a representative part of the fleet as well as corresponding documentation.

Market Analyses Examples

Market development in German commuter rail sector

Customer: International consulting firm

On behalf of an international consulting firm, SCI Verkehr analysed the development of tenders for commuter rail services in Germany. In addition to an analysis of all known and planned tenders by the contracting authorities, SCI Verkehr also performed an allocation of the commuter rail vehicles currently in operation. An overview of the contract standards of all German contracting authorities was complemented by a differentiation by gross contracts and net contracts.

Market volumes and market shares for strategic business segment planning

Customer: Supplier

On behalf of a supplier group in the rail vehicle industry, SCI Verkehr has prepared market data for strategic business segment planning on a yearly basis. This encompasses the differentiation and analysis of market volumes and underlying drivers based on vehicle segments as well as world market regions.

Competitors€˜ report railway 2017

Customer: Transport industry association

On behalf of the association of rail freight operators "Netzwerk Europäischer Eisenbahnen", SCI Verkehr analysed the rail freight market in Germany. The results of the analysis were used for preparing the competitors 'report railway 2017. Besides classic performance parameters, support focussed on essential current market developments and trends regarding intermodal competition norms and production advantages of individual modes of transport as well as on political framework conditions.

Asset Valuations Examples

Value analysis of additional equipment for passenger coaches

Customer: International credit institute

In the context of passenger coach procurement, an operator was often faced with additional costs due to the need to install additional equipment. On behalf of the credit institute financing this operator?s procurements, SCI Verkehr reviewed the sustainability of these conversion measures and their effects on a possible rise in the asset value.

Asset assessment railcar fleets

Customer: Banking consortium

On behalf of a banking consortium, SCI Verkehr determines the fair value as well as the expected value-over-time of several railcar fleets in Germany. The assessment is carried out according to the cost-based DRC method. Special focus is put on defining realistic scenarios to reuse the fleets. Moreover, technical condition assessment is carried out by an expert.

Assessment of diesel mainline locomotives

Customer:

On behalf of an investor, SCI Verkehr prepares a valuation report for diesel mainline locomotives by means of the income-based DCF method as well as cost-based DRC method. A detailed analysis of the supply and demand situation forms the basis of the valuation.

Public Consulting Examples

Environmental criteria in short-distance passenger rail transport competition

Customer: Allianz pro Schiene

On behalf of Allianz pro Schiene, SCI Verkehr is analysing the importance of ecological-related decision-making criteria within the German competition market for short-distance passenger rail transport. For this, environmental criteria are going to be analysed with regard to completed awards of short-distance passenger rail transport services and their future importance.

Benchmark evaluation criteria regional and commuter rail awarding

Customer: Regional and commuter rail authorities

On behalf of several German regional and commuter rail authorities, SCI Verkehr analysed evaluation criteria of Europe-wide tendering processes in passenger transport. For this purpose, interviews with different authorities in Europe were conducted. The analysis was focused on the application of non-price evaluation criteria in competitive tendering and their effect.

The mid-sized structured railway engineering supplier industry in Germany

Customer: Germany Federal Ministry for Economics and Technology

Requirements for the maintenance and improvement of the mid-sized railway supplier industry?s competitive ability in Germany are being studied. The investigation is taking place in the context of a worldwide concentration process of railway engineering system providers. It includes both an extensive empirical study of the mid-sized rail industry, benchmarking with reference industries and concrete action recommendations for a political-economic structural transformation of railway engineering.

Profitability Analyses Examples

Profitability audit vehicle 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 end, SCI Verkehr evaluated the tender documents and carried out a price benchmark to determine market prices for metro vehicles and e-buses.

Customs procedures for the container traffic Denmark ? German North Sea harbours ? Overseas newly to be installed

Customer: Logistic company

The European liberalisation of railway traffic allows the utilisation of the infrastructure by private railway transportation enterprises also across national borders. However, as opposed to the state railways, the regional railways cannot make use of the simplified common shipping procedure but are subject to the regulating procedures of the common / community shipping procedure. With this report a recommendation was developed for procedural management under the existing conditions.

Investment calculation railroad technology/infrastructure

Customer:

SCI Verkehr carried out an investment and profitability calculation for a service provider operating in the rail sector. This related to an investment in track and hall infrastructure as well as railroad engineering equipment. The profitability analysis was carried out for the investment and operation over 30 years.

Process optimisations 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 in compiling an offer for the rout—related tender of local rail transport services in the Bielefeld region (North Rhine Westphalia)

Customer: Stadtentwicklungsbehörde der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg

SCI Verkehr has supported a railway transport company in compiling a competitive wettbewerbsfähigen transport offer. We have compiled of all important documents as well as a marketing-strategic consultancy for compiling the offer. The client has been awarded the contract.

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.