Schenker Automotive Railnet GmbH (SAR), a fully-owned subsidiary of Railion Deutschland AG, has been the general transport contractor for the new Russian Volkswagen plant in Kaluga, 180 kilometres south of Moscow.
Working on behalf of Volkswagen Logistics, SAR handles the Skoda transports from the Czech Republic, and the Volkswagen transports from Slovakia to Kaluga, where the plant opened in November.
"We manage the planning, coordination and supervision of transports that are handled by numerous sub-contractors," said Klaus Kremper, CEO of Railion Deutschland AG, Deutsche Bahn AG's rail freight company.
Sub-contractors include CD Cargo (Czech railways), ZSSK Cargo (Slovak railways), PKP Cargo (Polish railways), RZD (Russian railways) as well as the two operators, Argo Bohemia and Transcontainer.
The main challenge involved in handling these transport activities is the coordination of 15 partners that communicate in five different languages, said a Schenker statement.
"We are fulfilling the role of general contractor for VW Kaluga, although DB Schenker did not provide rail traction services itself during the initial phase of the project. This further underlines our ability to provide the entire spectrum of logistical services and that we can compete flexibly against international competition," explained Dr Kremper.