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Italy’s TX Logistik set to create a German rail freight giant

[ July 28, 2023   //   ]

Italian-owned TX Logistik is set to become the second largest rail freight carrier in Germany after it announced a plan to buy Exploris Deutschland Holding GmbH, Hamburg, subject to regulatory approval.

TX Logistik is part of the Mercitalia Group, which also includes the logistics activities of the Italian state railway’s FS Italiane Group.

Exploris Deutschland Holding also includes Via Cargo, HSL Logistik and Delta Rail, which are active in rail freight in eight European countries.

Mercitalia Logistics chief executive, Sabrina De Filippis, said: “The transaction makes us very proud and confirms our great determination in positioning the logistics business in the international arena for the development of imports and exports of our country in support of Made in Italy.

“Furthermore, with this acquisition we establish a further fundamental pillar to achieve the objectives of the European Union for the modal shift for the mobility of goods, in favour of rail transport.”

The acquisition also gives FS Group new opportunities for transport to and from Italy.

Exploris’s strength is mainly in east-west transport axis and therefore complement TX Logistik’s mostly north-south network.

Exploris operating companies have their own rail safety certificates in Germany, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and Switzerland.

It mainly focuses on conventional (non-intermodal) rail freight and currently operates about 240 trains per week carrying steel, gypsum, agricultural products, automobiles, construction machinery and mineral oil products. Again, this complements TX Logistik, which mainly specialises in intermodal transport and combined transport to and from seaports.

The Exploris acquisition increases TX Logistik employees by 500 to 1,200 and its fleet will consist of 91 TX locomotives and 75 from Exploris. Turnover could exceed €500 million, it adds.

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