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

Update of a due diligence report due to macroeconomic changes

Customer: Transport company

SCI Transport updated a Commercial Due Diligence report from January 2022 due to macroeconomic changes in Europe. New assumptions for a new business plan are being reviewed.

Development of a strategic roadmap fort the market entry in Russia

Customer: Asiatic technology concern

On behalf of an Asiatic technology concern SCI Verkehr made an analysis of the railway technology market in Russia. Thereby different possibilities for a market entry were evaluated and transferred into a strategic roadmap. This roadmap contents not only adequate products and strategies for the market entry but also recommendations, which partner and which strategy are the best for a sustainable market entry in Russia and the neighboring CIS-countries.

Management presentation rolling stock leasing

Customer: Financial investor

On behalf of an international financial investor, SCI Verkehr prepares a management presentation on opportunities within European rolling stock leasing. The presentation forms the basis for a strategic decision regarding entering the rail sector.

Market Analyses Examples

Analysis of worldwide markets for rolling stock and electric buses

Customer: Worldwide active rolling stock manufacturer

On behalf of a globally active rolling stock manufacturer, SCI Verkehr analyses the global markets for rolling stock and electric buses. The focus is on aspects such as market size and development of worldwide national markets, dynamics and drivers, trends and future development as well as market players and competitors.

Market analysis railway construction and maintenance vehicles

Customer: Investor

On behalf of a globally active infrastructure investor, SCI Verkehr investigated the market for maintenance and construction vehicles in the rail sector. Using the company´s own database, key figures on fleet structure and size, operators and manufacturers were evaluated and analysed. One focus was on the core markets in Europe and North America.

Competitive analysis of the European market for overhead contact line systems

Customer:  Financial service provider 

SCI Verkehr analyses the competitive landscape of suppliers of overhead contact line products in selected European countries for a financial services provider.

Asset Valuations Examples

fair value determination of multiple units and locomotives

Customer: European leasing company

SCI Verkehr determined the fair value of regional multiple units and shunting locomotives in Europe as the basis of a business transaction. The fair value is determined by SCI Verkehr using the cost-based DRC method and includes the current and expected future development of the regional rail and rail freight transport markets.

Asset valuation passenger coaches

Customer: Lessor

SCI Verkehr determines the future market values of a passenger coaches fleet in the European market for a lessor. A particular focus is on the analysis of expected useful lives and redeployment possibilities, especially in open access transport.

Portfolio Assessment of Leasing Fleet for Refinancing

Customer: International leasing company

As basis for refinancing, SCI Verkehr determines the current market value and expected value-over-time of a rolling stock fleet, owned by a leading European leasing company. Income-based DCF valuation is applied for value assessment of locomotives, rail cars, freight wagons and passenger coaches. The expected market and competitive developments are decisive input factors for rolling stock assessment.

Public Consulting Examples

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.

Profitability 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 value analysis freight wagons

Customer: Freight wagon manufacturer

SCI Verkehr advised a manufacturer of innovative freight wagons on the acquisition of financing models with the analysis of potential market value trends.

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.

Process optimisations Examples

Drafting and compilation of a bid for local transport service

Customer: International transport company

On behalf of an international transport company, SCI Verkehr has developed and compiled a bid for services in local rail passenger transport in southern Germany. In addition, SCI Verkehr was responsible for organisation and bid management.

Optimization of the Land-Sea Interface as part of a maritime network group

Customer:

Investigation on behalf of the SH Technology Foundation

Bid management maintenance services

Customer: International maintenance provider for rolling stock

SCI Verkehr supported an international maintenance provider for rolling stock and components with regards to bid management for services in the external market. This included conceptual, economic and editorial assistance in the context of tender preparation as well as operational and organisational support in the bid process.