Lauterach - 23.09.2008

Partnership for transport innovation

Together with REWE GROUP Austria and Rail Cargo Austria (RCA), Gebrüder Weiss (GW) has come up with an innovative and ‘green’ solution for shifting freight transport onto the railway network.

Since January, Orange Combi Cargo (OCC) has been plying the route between Vienna and Vorarlberg with intermediate stops in Hall (Tyrol). The OCC concept was formulated in a series of intensive discussions between REWE GROUP Austria and Gebrüder Weiss. Its implementation represents an unprecedented example of cooperation in the Austrian transport sector. Gebrüder Weiss CEO Wolfgang Niessner expressed his satisfaction: "This joint initiative is totally in keeping with GW company philosophy. In the highly sensitive area of transport and logistics, we constantly strive to maintain a sensible balance between ecological and economic considerations. Our guiding principle is always sustainability.”

Unique solution
In the quest for an alternative transport solution, GW was keen to achieve an intelligent link-up of the customer (REWE GROUP) with its partners Rail Cargo Austria (RCA) and Containerdienst Hämmerle (CDH). At the same time, it was important to safeguard the long-term growth in part and full loads as well as maintaining quality standards in regard to departure and arrival times, costs and flexibility. OCC has made it possible for GW as the first privately owned haulage operator to offer an environmentally friendly and economically viable alternative along the East-West axis in Austria. It will lead to 15,000 fewer truck journeys per year. This means an annual reduction in CO2 emissions of around 9,000 tonnes.

Next milestone
The participants in this scheme have laid down a milestone in the Austrian transport market. As of on 22 September, this successful partnership is set to be extended. With immediate effect, all REWE GROUP Austria stores in the Salzburg area will be supplied by Orange Combi Cargo.
Following ISO 14001 certification plus substantial investment in ultramodern vehicle technology and energy-efficient facilities, OCC has once again demonstrated GW’s environmental credentials. By transferring freight onto rail on the Salzburg-Vienna run, the company is taking 5,000 trucks per annum off the roads.

Gebrüder Weiss
Based in Lauterach (Vorarlberg), the company employs over 4,400 people at 130 sites around the world. It operates throughout the following countries in Central and Eastern Europe: Austria, Switzerland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Romania and the Ukraine. In 2007, the logistics specialist had an annual turnover of 950 million Euros.

Gebrüder Weiss Pressestelle
Sina Balke
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