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

KPI overview leasing companies

Customer:

On behalf of a private investor, SCI Verkehr prepared a KPI overview for freight wagon lessors. Furthermore, inputs for a blue-print business plan for freight wagon leasing were provided (Revenue, OPEX, CAPEX).

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.

CDD of a railway undertaking

Customer: Financial investor

SCI supports a financial investor in the investment decision on the purchase of a rail transport company with an innovative concept for the transport of semi-trailers by rail. Supply, demand and competition are analysed and the business plan is reviewed. By means of expert interviews and market assessments, SCI determines the opportunities and risks of the target and proposes an alternative business plan in several scenarios.

Market Analyses Examples

Growth Prospects of a Component Manufacturer

Customer: Manufacturer of rolling stock components

On behalf of a globally active manufacturer of rolling stock components, SCI Verkehr provides an analysis of the potentials of growth in relevant segments of rolling stock until 2022.

Benchmark maintenance costs of commuter trains

Customer: European rolling stock manufacturer

On behalf of a European manufacturer of rail vehicles, SCI Verkehr created a benchmark for the costs of periodic maintenance. This benchmark will be carried out for diesel multiple units and selected European national markets.

Market potentials for diesel locomotive maintenance

Customer: International rolling stock maintenance service provider

On behalf of a globally active rolling stock maintenance service provider, SCI Verkehr analyses market potentials in the diesel locomotive segment. For this purpose, SCI Verkehr assesses operating fleets and the competitive situation in Europe.

Asset Valuations Examples

Rolling stock valuation used diesel universal locomotives

Customer: Rail Investor

SCI Verkehr is valuing a portfolio of various used diesel locomotives for an investor. The shunting and universal locomotives are appraised using the RC method and information on maintenance and repair services is included in the valuation.

Value appraisal for regional multiple units

Customer: Leasing company

On behalf of a leasing company, SCI Verkehr evaluated a fleet of electric multiple units (EMU) according to the IVS 2020 standard. For this purpose, supply and demand in the German regional transport market were analysed and different redeployment scenarios were considered.

Asset valuation locomotive portfolio

Customer: Investment company

On behalf of an investment company, SCI Verkehr carried out a valuation update for a portfolio of electric mainline locomotives and diesel shunting locomotives. In determining the value according to the capitalised earnings method, SCI Verkehr also relied on the expert results on the technical condition of the assets. These were determined in on-site analyses by a technical expert.

Public Consulting Examples

Price indication logistics sites

Customer: City administration

A German city administration plans the new designation of logistics sites in its urban area. SCI Verkehr analysed the intended urban development planning and helped in pricing for the subsequent marketing of sites.

INTELFRET: Intelligent Freight Train - Development of new Technologies for electronic process control of the railway freight transport system

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.

Employment Potential in Short Distance Goods Rail Traffic

Customer: Hans-Böckler-Stiftung (Hans Böckler Foundation)

Analysis of the importance of goods traffic on rail with regards to the employment situation with economically conscious options to secure employment. Suggestions offered by SCI Verkehr.

Profitability Analyses Examples

Support for a liquidation process

Customer: Asset appraiser

SCI Verkehr supports a liquidation process of a freight wagon fleet in Eastern Europe. It analyses the economic feasibility of the process and checks the plausibility of costs in different scenarios.

Z-SGV funding project WILSON LEARN

Customer: Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport

In the Z-SGV project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Transport, WILSON LEARN, a \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"machine learning\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" algorithm is to be optimised and tested that generates valid real-time proposals for efficient, operational staff scheduling in rail freight transport. SCI Verkehr is responsible for evaluating the cost-effectiveness and usability of the solution for rail freight transport in the project. Other project partners are Menlo79 GmbH, Havelländische Eisenbahn AG and Konrad-Zuse-Zentrum für Informationstechnik Berlin.

Workshop ECM Market

Customer: Maintenance company

SCI Verkehr has carried out a workshop on ECM services with a leading maintenance company for rail vehicles. Different business models were discussed and the company´s business plan was reviewed.

Process optimisations Examples

Supporting the restructuring of a leading European rail freight company

Customer: European rail freight company

A leading European rail freight company has to reorganize itself completely in terms of profitability, efficiency and reliability. SCI Verkehr was commissioned to support the restructuring process actively and to bring in expertise in railway operation, processes and strategy. Focus is also put on close involvement in terms of co-determination.

Supporting a terminal operator in its appeal against the rejection of an application for funding

Customer: Terminal operator

An application for funding by a midsized intermodal terminal operator was rejected by the authorisation authority responsible. SCI Verkehr advised the client on all important aspects of the upcoming appeal proceedings and prepared the reasoning for the appeal. Furthermore, in order to develop a strategy with optimum chances of success, SCI Verkehr gathered additional information on the chances of success of the proceedings and on the optimum course of action by means of background discussions in political circles.

Consultancy services for negotiations regarding follow-up infrastructure contract

Customer: Industrial company

The contract between DB Netz AG and an industrial company concerning the operation of a siding was unilaterally terminated and is going to be replaced by a new agreement to terms in line with the market. SCI Verkehr advised the siding operator on all technical and strategic issues, independently conducted the dialogue with DB Netz AG, reviewed all essential documents and took part in the official negotiations for the contract.