CargoBeamer to annually produce 500 unique pocket wagons for combined transport
To boost combined transport in Europe, CargoBeamear, the German logistics specialist, intends to organise its own production of pocket wagons that are crucial for moving semi-trailers by rail. The company intends to annually build up to 500 wagons of the mentioned type at its new dedicated manufacturing facility.
In early 2023, a new wagon building site with an area of 3,000 square metres will be launched in the German town of Erfurt in Thuringia. Previously, the location was used for assembling locomotives. CargoBeamer, the Leipzig logistics provider that is focused on combined transport, will renovate and adapt it for building unique pocket wagons.
“In recent months, we have discovered that production capacities for intermodal wagons in Europe are no longer sufficient for our plans and have therefore decided to carry out the final assembly of our freight wagons ourselves. Having our first manufacturing facility expands our know-how, allows us to actively counter market fluctuations and capacity bottlenecks in terms of production, and thus ensures our growth ambitions for the coming years,” said Philipp Aubert, managing director of CargoBeamer.
According to the company’s plans, around 500 pocket wagons will be annually produced in Erfurt. Initially, around 15 people will be employed in Erfurt, with the headcount expected to grow to around 50 employees in the medium term.
Wagons for combined transport
CargoBeamer will build the proprietary pocket wagons, which were designed by the company itself. Each unit consists of a steel frame and a loading pallet, which enables horizontal, parallel, and automated loading of all kinds of loading units, primarily semi-trailers, at a terminal.
“The truck loaded with a semi-trailer arrives at the terminal. Here, the semi-trailer is placed in one of the parking lots. From here it is picked up by a terminal vehicle, which places the semi-trailer in a loading pallet next to the railway tracks,” the company explained. Such a solution allows the logistics provider to significantly reduce the processing of the trains. It takes only 20 minutes to unload/load 36 semi-trailers from an intermodal train.
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