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 the reorganisation of the group strategy of a freight transport company

Customer: European rail freight operator

SCI Verkehr is supporting a leading European freight transport company in the reorganisation of its corporate strategy. In the process, all relevant internal and external factors for all forms of production in rail freight transport are examined and subjected to a strategic review. The aim is to redesign selected areas of the company in order to achieve greater economic efficiency and resilience. 

Plausibility check of an operator?s maintenance strategy with the focus on technical maintenance plants

Customer: Operator

Checking the plausibility of a plan to reduce capacity and close sites for heavy maintenance. Preparing recommendations for the next steps with the objective of maintaining as many competitive jobs in the maintenance plants as possible.

Freight rail potential analysis in Eastern Germany

Customer: Rail freight operator

On behalf of a new rail freight operator, SCI Verkehr analyses regional potentials in Eastern Germany. For this purpose, focus is especially put on analysing further transfer potentials from road to rail and identifying potential customers. Furthermore, SCI Verkehr evaluates the operator´s marketability in comparison to established companies.

Market Analyses Examples

Market analysis of Indian wheel set market

Customer: European wheel set manufacturer

The aim of the project was a brief analysis of the current and future dynamics in the Indian wheel set market. In addition to a volume assessment, SCI Verkehr also illustrated the value creation and supply structures as well as the competitive conditions. On this basis, the potential for a market entry strategy was worked out.

Support in tenders for regional and commuter rail

Customer: European leasing company

SCI Verkehr supported a leasing company operating across Europe in various tenders for regional & commuter rail transport services. Here, the requirements of the vehicle concept were analysed and tested with regard to their technical implementation and resulting investments. In addition, SCI Verkehr evaluated the criteria for operating second-hand vehicles. SCI Verkehr also supported the leasing company in coordinating with regional & commuter rail transport authorities.

Modeling of the global wheelset market

Customer:

Based on SCI's forecasts for worldwide supply volumes of rolling stock as well as passenger and transport markets, SCI Verkehr developed a model to determine the demand for wheelsets. For a higher level of information, operative service criteria such as replacement cycles and mileage were also evaluated.

Asset Valuations Examples

Fleet appraisal used freight wagons

Customer: Bank group

On behalf of an international bank group, SCI Verkehr appraised a large fleet of used freight wagons within a sale and lease back transaction. SCI Verkehr analysed the competitive situation of the freight wagons in the market and conducted an appraisal based on earning power and asset value approaches.

Market valuation of locomotives and freight wagons

Customer: Freight rail

On behalf of a European rail freight operator, SCI Verkehr determines the market value of the company's own fleet of locomotives and freight wagons. The market value is determined taking into account a special accounting standard with a cost-based valuation approach including the current supply and demand situation for the corresponding assets.

Vehicle assessment EMUs

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.

Public Consulting Examples

Extension of an intermodal transport transhipment terminal in a German domestic port

Customer: Transhipment company

The operator of a transhipment facility for intermodal transport in a German domestic port has seen considerable volume increases in its transport relationship with a regional company of the automobile industry. The operator wants to face this development with larger transport and warehousing capacities and therefore intends to introduce more efficient transhipment equipment and change the layout of the terminal areas. SCI Verkehr GmbH is creating an appropriate application for financial aid as per the German federal government?s guideline for intermodal transport, and is supporting the preliminary examination to clarify the question of location.

Consultancy services and assistance in updating a concept for waterway transport and ports

Customer: Transport ministry

In cooperation with project partners, SCI Verkehr revised an already existing waterway and port concept. We concretised and adjusted the transport targets and principles of the state government, created a new chapter entitled ?Transport and Logistics?, added the chapter ?Environmental/Climate Protection? and derived possible contracts or manageable political concepts for action for the state government from the possible options for action. The new concept was aligned with the port industry and federal government?s master plan for transport and logistics. The aim of the concept was to clarify the importance of inland water transportation and ports for Germany.

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.

Increase in profitability of an industrial and port railway

Customer: Schwerin Public Works

Analysis of existing and potential operations in regional passenger and cargo transport. Development and preparation of a business concept for an economically viable NE-Railway.

Commercial Due Diligence of bus manufacturer

Customer: Financial investor

On behalf of a financial investor, SCI Verkehr conducted a commercial due diligence on a globally active bus manufacturer. Focus was put on the analysis of future development potential of the core markets as well as the future expected competitive situation of the target. Moreover, a business plan entailing the assumptions of the management regarding the target´s development opportunities was examined.

Process optimisations Examples

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.

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.