Rail Logistics Europe formalizes the creation of two new companies
At the beginning of 2025, two new companies will take over from Fret SNCF, the incumbent rail freight operator in France, within Rail Logistics Europe: Hexafret, a rail freight operator, and Technis, a locomotive maintenance company.
This major transformation means that Fret SNCF will not have to repay the €5.3 billion in debt covered by the European Commission's investigation against the French state for distortion of competition and reinforces the prospects for sustainable growth of rail freight activities within the SNCF group, against a background of major challenges in decarbonizing logistics chains.
Hexafret
Specializing in wagon groupage in France, Hexafret 's ambition is to encourage modal shift from road to rail, and to export its unique know-how beyond its borders by connecting France to Europe. This mission of general interest is reflected in a strong and engaging company purpose: “Acting together for accessible and responsible freight that connects our regions”.
Technis
A new player in locomotive maintenance in France, Technis benefits from the expertise of its 500 employees acquired within Fret SNCF to serve its customers. With a strategic presence on France's major rail freight routes, and a commitment to developing innovative services, Technis 's mission is to provide high-performance, accessible maintenance that optimizes locomotives for competitive, forward-looking freight.
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Overall, these two new companies are expected to achieve cumulative sales of over €700 million in 2025, almost equivalent to that achieved by Fret SNCF in 2023 before the impact of the discontinuity.
Rail Logistics Europe, a fully-fledged group
The two new companies will be directly integrated into Rail Logistics Europe, which on January 1, will become a fully-fledged group, with a sales target of close to €1.9 billion in 2025 (compared with €1.5 billion in 2020, the year in which SA Fret SNCF was created), consisting of a holding company and 6 brands with companies offering complementary expertise Hexafret and Captrain as rail companies, Technis as locomotive maintainers, Forwardis as freight forwarders, and VIIA and Naviland Cargo as combined rail-road transport experts.
This combination will enable us to meet all our customers' needs in the rail freight transport and logistics segment in Europe.
Headed by Frédéric Delorme, the group's ambition is to become the first profitable European player in rail freight transport and logistics, thanks to high-performance, low-carbon solutions designed to promote modal shift.
Discover here the presentation movie of the new companies of Rail Logistics Europe.
I have no doubt that the presentations of the new Hexafret and Technis offers in early 2025 will appeal to our customers. The new, fully-fledged Rail Logistics Europe Group will finance the development of its subsidiaries and generate synergies to remain one of the major players in environmentally-friendly overland freight transport
CEO of Rail Logistics Europe