The Rail Cargo Group transports 7 million cubic meters of round timber every year. With around 200,000 loaded wood wagons, the freight transport division of the ÖBB Group is the largest timber transporter by rail in Central Europe. Together with strong partners, a nationwide network of door-to-door logistics is operated to connect European conurbations with ports and emerging economies on the Eurasian continent.
An important client for roundwood transport is the Pfeifer Group with its headquarters in Imst, Tyrol. The company operates a total of eight locations in three countries and employs 2,000 people. Their products are exported to more than 90 countries.
When it comes to transport logistics, the Pfeifer Group is increasingly relying on rail services. Today, about 40 per cent of the demand for round wood is now being delivered by the Rail Cargo Group to the Kundl plant – and the trend is rising. “With the Rail Cargo Group, we have a reliable partner who flexibly and quickly covers our needs in transport logistics by rail. We will continue to work on expanding the transport routes by rail,” explains Herbert Stöckl, Head of Logistics at the Pfeifer Group.
With the strategy of a one-stop shop, the Rail Cargo Group meets the high demands of the wood industry. For the Pfeifer Group, around 380,000 solid cubic meters of roundwood, mainly spruce, are supplied in an environmentally friendly way by rail to the Kundl plant.
“We deliver between 30 and 40 wagons of round wood to Kundl every day. This reduces road traffic by around 27,000 truck journeys (including empty trips) a year,” explains Martin Mairhofer, Key Account Manager for the Rail Cargo Group.
The wood originates mainly in Austria. But also roundwood from Germany and Switzerland as well as Slovenia and the Czech Republic is delivered by rail to Kundl. In addition, the Pfeifer Group focuses more on environmentally friendly transport by rail in the output.
