Vossloh
Encyclopedia
Vossloh AG is a German
transport technology manufacturer based in the Westphalia
n town of Werdohl
. The group has 4,700 employees (as of 2009), and generated sales of €1.2 billion, of which approximately 60% came from the rail infrastructure division, and the remainder from the motive power and components division. The company is included in the MDAX
index.
The rail infrastructure division's key products are the devices (clamping terminals) for fastening the rail to the railway sleepers (railroad tie
s), railroad switch
es and switch controllers. The Motive Power Division and Components provides diesel-electric and diesel-hydraulic locomotives, metros, trams and electrical components for road and rail.
The main market for the group is Europe
, with over three quarters of sales. In 2007 fifteen percent of sales were to the Americas, mainly North and Central America, one percent of sales to Oceania, and the remainder of sales were about equally divided between Africa, and the Near and Far East.
In 1945 the facilities in Werdohl
were destroyed by a bomb. Subsidiaries marketing lampholders which are located in Kalingrad, Wroclaw
and East Germany ceased to be part of the company due to the changes in political borders at that time.
In 1946 production of holders for fluorescent tubes was allowed to take place at a plant in Lüdenscheid
, by 1962 an additional plant for lighting products had opened in Selm
and the Vossloh works employed 1300 people, with 500 more employed in subsidiaries. In 1966 the company obtained a license to produce a new tension clamp rail fastening developed by Prof. Hermann Meier director of the Deutsche Bundesbahn
.
Recession in Germany in the 1980s resulted in the closure of two plants and employee lay-offs reducing the staff by almost half. Management was brought in from outside the Vossloh family, and Schwabe GmbH acquired; its lighting ballast
products complementing Vossloh's lighting fittings product range, and on 1 December 1989 Vossloh-Werke GmbH became a public stock company or Aktiengesellschaft
(AG). At this time there were three company divisions : Vossloh-Werke GmbH (Werdohl) (railway components e.g. tension clamps), Vossloh-Schwabe GmbH (Urbach) (electrical lighting products and components), and Hansa Metallwarengesellschaft mbH Thiessen & Hager (decorative products, sunblinds).
In the 1990s the reuninfication of Germany resulted, and new markets in eastern Europe resulted in additional demand for its rail fastening products on the former Deutsche Reichsbahn and elsewhere. Hoesch Maschinenfabrik Deutschland GmbH and W. Hegenscheidt GmbH manufacturers of railway wheelset machining equipment were acquired in the mid 1990s. In 1997 the company was first listed on the MDAX
. In 1998 railway switch manufacturing company VAE group was acquired by Voestalpine AG
and Vossloh.
However recession in the 1990s resulted in the sale of the non-'recession-resilient' decorative products division to Arquati S.p.a of Italy in 1997. Under company CEO Burkhard Schuchmann Vossloh was re-orientated as a rail industry based company during and after the 1990s; In 2002 the lighting division was sold to Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. of Osaka
, Japan in 2002. and the company expanded into the rail industry market with a number of acquisitions:
At the end of 2005 Burkard Schuchmann is succeeded by Dr. Gerhard Eschenröder as CEO until 2007 when Werner Andree replaces him. The subsidiarie, Vossloh Information Technologies GmbH was sold (Feb. 2007) to Funkwerk AG. The company continued to expand; its first acquisition in North America was Pohl Corp (switch manufacturer), followed by Cleveland Track Material Inc., both acquired in 2007. A 100% stake in French rail infrastructure company (ETF) was also obtained in 2007. The same year the company opened a rail fastening subsidiary in China.
In 2008 Vossloh infrastructure services is sold to the VINCI group of companies - this included the infrastructure parts of Cogifer SA acquired in 2002 as well as Européenne de Travaux Ferroviaires SA.
Further railroad switch manufacturers were acquired :TLK Rail (Australia) in 2007, Sportek (Denmark) and Kloos Oving B.V. (Netherlands) in 2008, and the switch and rail manufacturing parts of the Nouva Sima Sud company (Italy) in 2009.
In 2009 the company enters the rail services market in Germany, forming Vossloh Rail Services GmbH from the rail maintenance parts of Stahlberg-Roensch Group in addition to LOG Logistikgesellschaft Gleisbau mbH and ISB Instandhaltungssysteme Bahn GmbH.
The rail infrastructure division comprises the rail fastening and switch companies (Vossloh Fasyening Systems GmbH and Vossloh Cogifer SA), and from 2009 a rail services (maintenance) company Vossloh Rail Services GmbH.
The Transportation division (formerly Motive Power and Components) comprising Vossloh Locomotives GmbH, Vossloh España S.A., and Vossloh Kiepe GmbH
Vossloh Locomotives GmbH, the former MaK
locomotive plant in Kiel produces diesel hydraulic locomotives, for freight and shunting purposes.
The factory's main production up to 2009 was diesel hydraulic locomotives of type Vossloh G1000 BB
, Vossloh G1206
, Vossloh G1700 BB
and Vossloh G2000 BB
. The company's major orders included G1206/1700 variants for the French (SNCF Class BB 61000
) and Swiss railways (SBB Am 843).
A three axle shunting locomotive, type Vossloh G6
was introduced in 2008, in 2009 the company announced to the intention to offer diesel electric or diesel hydraulic variant of four axle centre cab locomotives in two power ranges: G 12 or DE 12 and G 18 or DE 18 (approximately corresponding to the power ranges of the G1206 and G1700 versions.)
owned Meinfesa plant produces diesel electric locomotives as well as passenger multiple units, trams and bogies.
The company's locomotive output has included the SNCF BB 460000 (in cooperation with Alstom
) and Vossloh Euro locomotives
.
In 2010 the company launched a new locomotive type: the diesel electric Eurolight locomotive, designed for railways requiring axleloads less than 20t, and with either 2.3 or 2.8MW installed engine power.
formed a locomotive leasing business - Locomotion Partners consisting of two companies:
The companies would not exclusively hire and service only Vossloh locomotives, and would act independently, depending on the circumstances. In 2004 the 10% stake in Locomotion capital Ltd. was sold and the stake in Locomotion Service GmbH increased to 100%.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
transport technology manufacturer based in the Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
n town of Werdohl
Werdohl
Werdohl is a town in the district Märkischer Kreis, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Werdohl is located in the hills of the Sauerland, at a double meander of the river Lenne and its confluent, the Verse...
. The group has 4,700 employees (as of 2009), and generated sales of €1.2 billion, of which approximately 60% came from the rail infrastructure division, and the remainder from the motive power and components division. The company is included in the MDAX
MDAX
The MDAX is a stock index which lists German companies. The index is calculated by Deutsche Börse.It includes the 50 Prime Standard shares from sectors excluding technology that rank immediately below the companies included in the DAX index...
index.
The rail infrastructure division's key products are the devices (clamping terminals) for fastening the rail to the railway sleepers (railroad tie
Railroad tie
A railroad tie/railway tie , or railway sleeper is a rectangular item used to support the rails in railroad tracks...
s), railroad switch
Railroad switch
A railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another at a railway junction....
es and switch controllers. The Motive Power Division and Components provides diesel-electric and diesel-hydraulic locomotives, metros, trams and electrical components for road and rail.
The main market for the group is Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, with over three quarters of sales. In 2007 fifteen percent of sales were to the Americas, mainly North and Central America, one percent of sales to Oceania, and the remainder of sales were about equally divided between Africa, and the Near and Far East.
History
In 1883 Eduard Vossloh submitted a bid to the Royal Prussian Railway for the manufacture of spring washers for rail fasteners and was granted the commission. On 11 July 1888 the Eduard Vossloh Company was registered. Spring washers and other hardware items were manufactured at the family's blacksmiths shop. Through the early 1900s the company continued to grow, producing general hardware including decorative items and lampholders for electric lights.In 1945 the facilities in Werdohl
Werdohl
Werdohl is a town in the district Märkischer Kreis, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Werdohl is located in the hills of the Sauerland, at a double meander of the river Lenne and its confluent, the Verse...
were destroyed by a bomb. Subsidiaries marketing lampholders which are located in Kalingrad, Wroclaw
Wroclaw
Wrocław , situated on the River Oder , is the main city of southwestern Poland.Wrocław was the historical capital of Silesia and is today the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Over the centuries, the city has been part of either Poland, Bohemia, Austria, Prussia, or Germany, but since 1945...
and East Germany ceased to be part of the company due to the changes in political borders at that time.
In 1946 production of holders for fluorescent tubes was allowed to take place at a plant in Lüdenscheid
Lüdenscheid
Lüdenscheid is a town in the Märkischer Kreis district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the Sauerland region. Lüdenscheid is seat of the administration of the Märkischer Kreis district...
, by 1962 an additional plant for lighting products had opened in Selm
Selm
Selm is a town in the district of Unna, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated approximately 20 kilometers north of Dortmund and 25 kilometers west of Hamm.- Geography :The town belongs to the southern part of the Münsterland...
and the Vossloh works employed 1300 people, with 500 more employed in subsidiaries. In 1966 the company obtained a license to produce a new tension clamp rail fastening developed by Prof. Hermann Meier director of the Deutsche Bundesbahn
Deutsche Bundesbahn
The Deutsche Bundesbahn or DB was formed as the state railway of the newly established Federal Republic of Germany on September 7, 1949 as a successor of the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft '...
.
Recession in Germany in the 1980s resulted in the closure of two plants and employee lay-offs reducing the staff by almost half. Management was brought in from outside the Vossloh family, and Schwabe GmbH acquired; its lighting ballast
Electrical ballast
An electrical ballast is a device intended to limit the amount of current in an electric circuit. A familiar and widely used example is the inductive ballast used in fluorescent lamps, to limit the current through the tube, which would otherwise rise to destructive levels due to the tube's...
products complementing Vossloh's lighting fittings product range, and on 1 December 1989 Vossloh-Werke GmbH became a public stock company or Aktiengesellschaft
Aktiengesellschaft
Aktiengesellschaft is a German term that refers to a corporation that is limited by shares, i.e. owned by shareholders, and may be traded on a stock market. The term is used in Germany, Austria and Switzerland...
(AG). At this time there were three company divisions : Vossloh-Werke GmbH (Werdohl) (railway components e.g. tension clamps), Vossloh-Schwabe GmbH (Urbach) (electrical lighting products and components), and Hansa Metallwarengesellschaft mbH Thiessen & Hager (decorative products, sunblinds).
In the 1990s the reuninfication of Germany resulted, and new markets in eastern Europe resulted in additional demand for its rail fastening products on the former Deutsche Reichsbahn and elsewhere. Hoesch Maschinenfabrik Deutschland GmbH and W. Hegenscheidt GmbH manufacturers of railway wheelset machining equipment were acquired in the mid 1990s. In 1997 the company was first listed on the MDAX
MDAX
The MDAX is a stock index which lists German companies. The index is calculated by Deutsche Börse.It includes the 50 Prime Standard shares from sectors excluding technology that rank immediately below the companies included in the DAX index...
. In 1998 railway switch manufacturing company VAE group was acquired by Voestalpine AG
Voestalpine
Voestalpine AG is an international steel company based in Linz, Austria. The company is active in steel, automotive, railway systems, profilform and tool steel industries....
and Vossloh.
However recession in the 1990s resulted in the sale of the non-'recession-resilient' decorative products division to Arquati S.p.a of Italy in 1997. Under company CEO Burkhard Schuchmann Vossloh was re-orientated as a rail industry based company during and after the 1990s; In 2002 the lighting division was sold to Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. of Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan in 2002. and the company expanded into the rail industry market with a number of acquisitions:
- 1996: Rail related parts of the Deutsche System Technik GmbH company (traffic management and electronic information systems) are acquired after insolvency, forming Vossloh System-Technik GmbH
- 1998: The former Krupp Maschinenbau KielMaschinenbau KielMaschinenbau Kiel GmbH designed, manufactured and marketed marine diesel engines, diesel locomotives and tracked vehicles under the MaK brand name. The three primary operating divisions of Maschinenbau Kiel GmbH were sold to different companies in the 1990s.Rheinmetall acquired the military...
, then under SiemensSiemensSiemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...
' ownership as Siemens Schienenfahrzeugtechnik - 1998: MAN Systemelektronik acquired and added to Vossloh System-Technik GmbH
- 2001: A 55% stake in NovoSignal AB (Sweden), designers of electronic interlocking and process control systems
- 2001: (VAE systems acquires Transwerk Perway Pty. Ltd (South Africa), railroad switch manufacturer)
- 2002: Passenger information and entertainment systems unit of Bombardier Transportion, Germany
- 2002: Cogifer group (France) is acquired, and Vossloh's share in VAE group is sold to VoestalpineVoestalpineVoestalpine AG is an international steel company based in Linz, Austria. The company is active in steel, automotive, railway systems, profilform and tool steel industries....
- 2002: Kiepe Elektrik (Düsseldorf, Germany)
- 2002: Skamo (Nowe Skalmierzyce, Poland); railroad switch manufacturer.
- 2003: MIN Skretnice (Serbia); railroad switch manufacturer.
- 2004: The diesel locomotive manufacturer formerly known as Meinfesa (in ValenciaValencia (province)Valencia or València is a province of Spain, in the central part of the Valencian Community.It is bordered by the provinces of Alicante, Albacete, Cuenca, Teruel, Castellón, and the Mediterranean Sea...
, Spain) was acquired from AlstomAlstomAlstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
during that company's time of financial difficulties. - 2004: Swedish Rail Systems AB (Sweden); railroad switch manufacturer
- 2004: Delkor Pty. (Australia); railroad switch manufacturer
- 2004: JS Industries Private Ltd., (Hyderabad, India); 51% of shares of railroad switch manufacturer
- 2005: Daksin Transtek Ltd. (Bangalore, India); railroad switch manufacturer - joint venture with Patil group (Patil Rail Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd, India)
- 2005: Beekay Engineering & Castings Ltd. (India), 60% acquired by Vossloh Cogifer
At the end of 2005 Burkard Schuchmann is succeeded by Dr. Gerhard Eschenröder as CEO until 2007 when Werner Andree replaces him. The subsidiarie, Vossloh Information Technologies GmbH was sold (Feb. 2007) to Funkwerk AG. The company continued to expand; its first acquisition in North America was Pohl Corp (switch manufacturer), followed by Cleveland Track Material Inc., both acquired in 2007. A 100% stake in French rail infrastructure company (ETF) was also obtained in 2007. The same year the company opened a rail fastening subsidiary in China.
In 2008 Vossloh infrastructure services is sold to the VINCI group of companies - this included the infrastructure parts of Cogifer SA acquired in 2002 as well as Européenne de Travaux Ferroviaires SA.
Further railroad switch manufacturers were acquired :TLK Rail (Australia) in 2007, Sportek (Denmark) and Kloos Oving B.V. (Netherlands) in 2008, and the switch and rail manufacturing parts of the Nouva Sima Sud company (Italy) in 2009.
In 2009 the company enters the rail services market in Germany, forming Vossloh Rail Services GmbH from the rail maintenance parts of Stahlberg-Roensch Group in addition to LOG Logistikgesellschaft Gleisbau mbH and ISB Instandhaltungssysteme Bahn GmbH.
Company structure
As of 2010 the company is divided into two main divisions.The rail infrastructure division comprises the rail fastening and switch companies (Vossloh Fasyening Systems GmbH and Vossloh Cogifer SA), and from 2009 a rail services (maintenance) company Vossloh Rail Services GmbH.
The Transportation division (formerly Motive Power and Components) comprising Vossloh Locomotives GmbH, Vossloh España S.A., and Vossloh Kiepe GmbH
Vossloh Fastening Systems
The fastening systems division produces devices for attaching rails to sleepers for high speed, heavy and light railways. The division includes Vossloh Fastening Systems GmbH (Werdohl Germany), Delkor Rail Pty. Ltd. (Australia), Patil Vossloh Rail Systems Pvt. Ltd. (joint venture with Patil Group of India), Vossloh Sistemi s.r.l. (Italy), TOO "Vossloh-Kaz" (Russia), Vossloh Utenzilija d.d. (Croatia), Vossloh Skamo Sp. z o.o. (Poland), Vossloh Tehnika Feroviara S.R.L. (Romania), Vossloh Drázni Technica s.r.o. (Czech Republic), Vossloh Rail Technology Limitet Sirketi (Turkey), Feder-7 GmbH (Hungary) and Vossloh Fastening Systems America Corporation (Chicago, USA).Vossloh Cogifer
Vossloh Cogifer SA produces railway switches as well as railway signalling systems. The rail switch group also includes the subsidiaries Vossloh Nordic Switch systems AB (Sweden), KIHN (Luxembourg), Vossloh Track Material Inc. (Wilmington USA) and Cleveland Track Material Inc. (Cleveland USA) and Vossloh Cogifer Australia Pty., as well as two joint ventures: Corus Cogifer Switches and Crossings (Scunthorpe, UK) and Amurrio Ferrocarril y Equipos SA (Spain).Vossloh Locomotives
Maschinenbau Kiel
Maschinenbau Kiel GmbH designed, manufactured and marketed marine diesel engines, diesel locomotives and tracked vehicles under the MaK brand name. The three primary operating divisions of Maschinenbau Kiel GmbH were sold to different companies in the 1990s.Rheinmetall acquired the military...
locomotive plant in Kiel produces diesel hydraulic locomotives, for freight and shunting purposes.
The factory's main production up to 2009 was diesel hydraulic locomotives of type Vossloh G1000 BB
Vossloh G1000 BB
The Vossloh G1000 BB is a class of off-centre cab diesel-hydraulic B'B' 4 axle locomotives built by Vossloh in Kiel since 2002. When operating under Swiss owenership the locomotives have received the class Am 842, several units owned by the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois are...
, Vossloh G1206
MaK / Vossloh G1206
The Vossloh G1206 is a B'B' diesel hydraulic freight locomotive built in Kiel and used by several European railway operators including a SNCF specific variant the BB 461000 series....
, Vossloh G1700 BB
Vossloh G1700 BB
The Vossloh G1700 BB is a four axle B'B' medium power diesel-hydraulic locomotive manufactured by Vossloh Locomotives GmbH. in Kiel.The locomotive type is operated by private rail operators in Germany and Austria...
and Vossloh G2000 BB
Vossloh G2000 BB
The Vossloh G 2000 BB is a four axle heavy shunting and mainline locomotive built at the former MaK plant in Kiel. At the time of its introduction in 2000 it was the most powerful hydraulic transmission locomotive in Vossloh's range....
. The company's major orders included G1206/1700 variants for the French (SNCF Class BB 61000
SNCF Class BB 61000
The SNCF Class BB 61000 diesel locomotives were built by Vossloh to their G1206 design between 2002-2005 for the French state railways. Twenty three locomotives were built, numbered 61001-61023. As they are operated by the freight sector, the locomotives carry a '4' prefix The SNCF Class BB 61000...
) and Swiss railways (SBB Am 843).
A three axle shunting locomotive, type Vossloh G6
Vossloh G6
The Vossloh G6 is a C diesel-hydraulic shunting locomotive, and the first locomotive of Vossloh's 5th generation programme. The G6 is the successor of the MaK/Vossloh G765, a 3rd generation MaK locomotive still offered in the 2000s.-Operations:...
was introduced in 2008, in 2009 the company announced to the intention to offer diesel electric or diesel hydraulic variant of four axle centre cab locomotives in two power ranges: G 12 or DE 12 and G 18 or DE 18 (approximately corresponding to the power ranges of the G1206 and G1700 versions.)
Vossloh Rail Vehicles
Vossloh Rail Vehicles (formerly Vossloh España S.A.), the former AlstomAlstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
owned Meinfesa plant produces diesel electric locomotives as well as passenger multiple units, trams and bogies.
The company's locomotive output has included the SNCF BB 460000 (in cooperation with Alstom
Alstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
) and Vossloh Euro locomotives
Vossloh Euro locomotives
Vossloh Euro is a class of diesel-electric locomotives built by Vossloh for the European market. It is available in two basic variants, the four-axle Euro 3000 and the six-axle Euro 4000.-History and background:...
.
In 2010 the company launched a new locomotive type: the diesel electric Eurolight locomotive, designed for railways requiring axleloads less than 20t, and with either 2.3 or 2.8MW installed engine power.
Vossloh Kiepe
Vossloh Kiepe GmbH produces electrical systems for light rail, trolleybuses and hybrid buses including electric propulsion and control, air conditioning and heating as well as passenger rail vehicle refurbishment and modernisation.Vossloh Rail Services
Vossloh Rail Services provides railway track infrastructure maintenance such as rail grinding, welding, replacement and testing. The division was formed in 2010 with the acquisition of parts of the Stahlberg-Roensch Group and Logistikgesellschaft Gleisbau mbH and Instandhaltungssysteme Bahn GmbH from the Contrack Group.Spin-offs and subsidiaries
In 2000 Vossloh and Angel TrainsAngel Trains
Angel Trains is an English Rolling Stock Operating Company created in 1994 as part of the privatisation of British Rail. It was one of three ROSCOs...
formed a locomotive leasing business - Locomotion Partners consisting of two companies:
- Locomotion capital Ltd. (90% owned by Angel trains, 10% Vossloh) : a locomotive procurement, rental and management company initially headquartered in London.
- Locomotion Service GmbH (90% owned by Vossloh, 10% Angel trains) : a locomotive servicing and modification company that would initially contract its work to Vossloh SFT in Kiel.
The companies would not exclusively hire and service only Vossloh locomotives, and would act independently, depending on the circumstances. In 2004 the 10% stake in Locomotion capital Ltd. was sold and the stake in Locomotion Service GmbH increased to 100%.
See also
- VoestalpineVoestalpineVoestalpine AG is an international steel company based in Linz, Austria. The company is active in steel, automotive, railway systems, profilform and tool steel industries....
: competitor in the rail turnoutRailroad switchA railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another at a railway junction....
business - PandrolPandrolPandrol is a British company, which manufactures clips used on rail tracks.- Overview :The was patented in 1957 by a Norwegian railways engineer, Per Pande Rolfsen. Nowadays it is common worldwide. Pandrol has manufacturing plants in 12 countries and 82 markets. Over 240 railway systems in 91...
: competitor in the rail fastening business