VTG AG and Infraserv Höchst stage training and information event for rail tank cars and new commercial vehicle centre
13.04.2005
"Jointly promoting even higher quality and more safety" was the motto of the day. About 70 participants found out about rail tank cars at the training and information event of VTG Aktiengesellschaft and Infraserv Höchst in Höchst Industrial Park in Frankfurt on April 13th 2005.
The event was held on the site of the new commercial vehicle centre of Infraserv Höchst. This facility has an efficient cleaning plant for tank interiors, rail tank cars, road tankers and tank containers, as well as workshops for rail vehicles, containers and commercial vehicles such as forklifts and lorries.
In his welcoming address to the guests, Dr. Roland Mohr, who manages the industrial park operator company Infraserv Höchst along with Jürgen Vormann, explained: "We've created the parameters for optimally combining the functions cleaning, maintenance and audit with one another and ensuring that the processes run as efficiently as possible for the benefit of customers." Dr. Mohr added that in this way the industrial park, apart from serving as a location for R&D and production, is also to be expanded as a logistics centre. "If logistics companies take advantage of logistics-related services and link these with transhipment processes at the location, the result can be considerable increases in efficiency, which are naturally in the interest of the facility customers," Dr. Roland Mohr noted.
The focus is on customer orientation at VTG Aktiengesellschaft as well. "Intensive dialogue with hirers and users of our wagons is crucial for our innovation management. We take account of their suggestions and practical experience when formulating new rail logistics concepts in order to enhance the appeal and quality of rail freight transport services," explained Dr. Heiko Fischer, executive board chairman of VTG Aktiengesellschaft.
The joint training event thus also focused on know-how transfer. Safe handling, expertise and extreme care are crucial during loading/unloading operations as well as when transporting (hazardous) goods in rail tank cars.
"We're also delighted to have Infraserv as a reliable partner meeting our high standards in terms of safety, quality and environmental protection for the cleaning and maintenance of rail tank cars," Dr. Heiko Fischer added.
Infraserv invested approx. 4.6m Euro in the new commercial vehicle centre in Frankfurt-Höchst Industrial Park. This facility, which was put into operation in mid-March, has as main component a new container cleaning plant, which provides various cleaning stations for road tankers and containers, as well as a track for cleaning rail tank cars. Participants in the training event were offered tours of the centre to find out how containers are cleaned from the inside with computer-controlled high-pressure technology - with the appropriate procedure in each case which the computer determines from over 70,000 substances choosing the correct mixture and dosing. Environmental protection is also taken into account at the facility: the modern waste water treatment plants guarantee environmentally compatible treatment of all waste water produced. Up to five rail tank cars can be cleaned in the facility per day in a two-shift system. A great deal of shunting is also not required, as the new commercial vehicle centre is optimally linked to the nearly 60 km long rail network of the industrial park.
The training event also involved a visit to the railway workshop, which is equipped with two tracks each provided with two repair sites for 4-axle rail tank cars. The functioning and correct operation of a very wide range of fittings and valves were also explained on the Infraserv training rail tank car.
The comprehensive vehicle fleet of VTG includes over 300 wagon types meeting customers' individual transport requirements. Four modern wagon types from the segments compressed gas, oil, chemical and bulk freight were presented, and loading/unloading facilities as well as special design features were explained in detail at the training event in Frankfurt. The design innovations include fitting chemical rail tank cars with brake pads of composite material for reducing noise levels. By using composite pads, currently in the test phase, it is possible to reduce noise levels by 5-10 dB - a noticeable halving of the noise disturbance caused by freight transport.
Infraserv Höchst, based in Frankfurt am Main, is a leading service provider and an all-in location operator for the chemical and pharmaceuticals industry. Infraserv GmbH & Co. Höchst KG supplies processing companies with products and services in the energy, facility management, environmental protection, safety and waste disposal areas. Infraserv Logistics, Infraserv Höchst Technik, Provadis, chemfidence and Technion are 100% subsidiaries of Infraserv-Höchst Group. Infraserv GmbH & Co. Höchst KG has 2,089 employees and 204 trainees, while Infraserv-Höchst Group has 3,755 employees and 244 trainees. Infraserv Höchst including subsidiaries achieved sales of approx. 907m Euro in 2004.
VTG Group offers an almost unique range of integrated rail logistics solutions in Europe. With its fleet of over 45,000 rail tank and other rail freight cars, VTG Aktiengesellschaft is one of the largest private-sector hiring companies. Through its subsidiaries and holdings, it offers, in addition to wagon hire, forwarding services and even haulage. Via its subsidiary VOTG, VTG Group is one of the leading tank container operators worldwide with a fleet of approx. 5,300 units. VTG, which currently has about 500 employees, achieved sales of approx. 400m Euro in the 2004 financial year.
