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

Portfolio assessment of a rail freight transport company

Customer: Rail freight transport company

On behalf of a private railway undertaking, SCI Verkehr assesses a portfolio for the German rail freight market. Focus is put on volume estimations of the customer’s business fields as well as the development of market and competitive environment. Furthermore, SCI Verkehr provides a detailed analyses of selected corridors and branches.

Consulting services for passenger rail transport

Customer: Eastern European State Railway

SCI Verkehr signed a framework agreement with an Eastern European state railway to provide consulting services. SCI Verkehr supported the company in its fleet strategy, restructuring and other issues with a focus on passenger transport.

Opportunities from mobility and energy transition in Europe

Customer: Investor

SCI Verkehr has analysed the impacts of the mobility and energy transition in Europe on the transportation markets. Regulations and market developments in the transportation and energy sectors have been considered in order to produce a picture of the transportation market by 2030. Thereby growing business sectors have been identified and quantified (market volume), and business opportunities have been derived for the client. Hydrogen, electrification and green economy were topics of the study.

Market Analyses Examples

Market analysis for a track construction company

Customer: Track construction company

SCI Verkehr supported the Danish market entry of an expanding track construction company. Thanks to SCI?s knowledge of the country, market and certified railway companies, regionally and nationally active railway transport companies were determined for the client. This selection enabled the delivery of an evaluation and recommendation of possible certified railway companies. The construction work has since been finalized, to the full satisfaction of the contractor and client.

Fleet overview and market outlook for passenger rail vehicles

Customer: subsystem supplier

On behalf of a subsystem supplier, SCI Verkehr maintained a database containing all passenger vehicles in rail transport worldwide. In addition to the fleet data, relevant subsystems and their manufacturers were also researched for the vehicles. In addition to the inventory information, forecast data on the market development of the individual segments was also provided.

Analysis and qualitative appraisal of mainline diesel locomotives

Customer: European rail freight operator

On behalf of a European operator, SCI Verkehr compiled an overview and a qualitative assessment of currently available new and used mainline diesel locomotives. The analysis served as a decision-making support for the investment in new locomotives.

Asset Valuations Examples

DCF evaluation of container and pocket wagons

Customer: Eastern European logistics company

On behalf of an Eastern European logistics company, SCI Verkehr evaluated the current and future market value of modern container and pocket wagons. The DCF evaluation includes an extensive market observation and analysis of the current supply and demand situation.

Assessment of a new fleet of different freight wagon types

Customer: Financial service provider

In the context of financing different freight wagon types, SCI Verkehr assesses a large fleet of tank wagons, open wagons as well as intermodal wagons. Assessment of the wagon fleet is conducted by means of the income-based DCF method and is based on detailed analysis of the wagon-specific supply and demand situation.

Updates of the asset valuation of single deck electrical multiple units

Customer: Train operating company for regional passenger rail transport

On behalf of a train operating company, SCI Verkehr has assessed single deck electric multiple units (EMUs) based on the IVS 2022 standard regularly on a 2-years term and an asset and price benchmark following. The cost-based approach (RC) will be applied applied.

Public Consulting Examples

Verkehrsverband Westfalen-Mitte (Transport Association of Central Westphalia)

Customer: Verkehrsverband Westfalen-Mitte

Implementation of a market and strategy analysis for developing decisions concerning locations for logistical objects in selected industry sectors Relevant types of strategy with the solution of ideal storage and distribution strategies are identified, systemized and assessed with regard to their transport intensity. A practical impact assessment will be done by means of this analysis concerning the transport development and congestion for the logistics site in central Westphalia.

Market exploration for the sale of railway infrastructure

Customer: Ownership company of railway and terminal infrastructure

A publicly owned company that owns the railway and terminal infrastructure was given the political mandate to prepare the exit of the public owners from this area. SCI Verkehr was commissioned to provide comprehensive support to the management in an initial market survey.

Profitability Analyses Examples

Benchmark for maintenance of freight wagons

Customer:

On behalf of an investor, SCI Verkehr prepared a comprehensive market analysis for the maintenance of freight wagons. This included a review of the basic principles of maintenance, an analysis of the main trends and drivers in the market, an explanation of new technological developments and an overview of maintenance companies and their locations. A focus of the analyses was also the benchmarking of prices of maintenance periods for different wagon types and components, as well as their development.

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

Compilation of a bid for short-distance passenger transport in northern Germany

Customer: Railway transport company

A railway transport company is submitting a bid for a transport tender in northern Germany with the aim of making an attractive, innovative and cost-efficient offer for railway transport. The main contents include conception and technical support, editorial support as well as operative and organisational support.

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.

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.