Salzgitter Flachstahl is profiting from the closure of the digital gap in rail transport

DB Cargo is pressing ahead with the digitization of its freight car fleet: The 34,000th car has just been equipped with the latest technology and intelligent sensors. By 2020, the entire fleet of around 68,000 freight cars in Germany is due to be on the digital track. To achieve this by 2020, DB Cargo will have made an investment in the high tens of millions.

Equipping the fleet with GPS and sensors entails a wealth of advantages for customers of DB Cargo. With the aid of a telematics module, GPS and RFID and NFC tags, the analog wagons are being upgraded to meet the demands of our fully networked digital world. With the aid of mobile communications, the cars transmit signals during the journey and when events occur such as starting, stopping or jolting. These signals convey valuable information regarding the load condition, temperature, humidity and movement of sensitive loads.

 “The value chain at Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH is substantially dependent on efficient logistical processes. Consequently, it is becoming more and more important for us to digitize our business processes with a focus on networking, real time capability and an orientation towards quality and service. The arrival of “intelligent freight cars” finally closes the digital gap in rail transport,” explains Dr. Jürgen Harland, Head of Logistics and SCM at Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH. “Our forecasts and assumptions are both enriched and improved by this newly acquired data, because it includes information not only about the shipment, but also about quality.”

“Thanks to intelligent freight cars, rail freight has taken some key technological strides, and is now more fit for the future,” as Marek Staszek, Production Director at DB Cargo, emphasizes. “Our customers are profiting from the improved ability to manage logistics chains, as well as the high quality of transport and predictable arrival times. We aim to permanently relocate more traffic on to the environmentally friendly rail freight system and make our contributions towards strengthening railways in Germany and in Europe.”