BERIT BOERKE
EXPERT TALK 02
Berit Boerke in
KRONE TRAILER FORUM
– ISSUE 1/2020
«PERSPECTIVES»
GROWING AS ONE.
WITH ITS IDEAS FACTORY, KRONE IS OPENING UP NEW PERSPECTIVES AND PROMOTING COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE INDUSTRY.
FROM NOVEMBER 2017 TO OCTOBER 2020, BERIT BOERKE WAS SALES DIRECTOR OF PRIVATE RAILWAY OPERATOR TX LOGISTIK AG, BASED IN TROISDORF.
»WE NEED
ALL MODES OF TRANSPORT«
AS A SPECIALIST IN COMBINED TRANSPORT, TX LOGISTIK AG PROVIDES ITS CUSTOMERS WITH ECO-FRIENDLY FREIGHT MOVEMENT. BERIT BOERKE, THE FIRM’S SALES DIRECTOR, OUTLINES THE POTENTIAL OF THE RAILWAYS.
BB »THE MODAL SHIFT, I.E. THE MOVE AWAY FROM ROAD HAULAGE TO RAIL FREIGHT, IS AN URGENT NECESSITY.«
BB »THE MARKET ENVIRONMENT, THE POTENTIAL OF THE RAILWAYS AND THE CHALLENGES OF CLIMATE TARGETS ARE ALL CLEAR ARGUMENTS IN ITS FAVOUR.«
Berit Boerke,Sales Director of TX Logistik AG (2020)
TX Logistik, established in Bad Honnef in 1999, is one of Europe’s largest rail freight transport companies. It specialises in transport networks across borders. Within these networks, TX Logistik is highly active in combined transport, both with continental routes and in the hinterland of seaports.
Berit Boerke explains that customer demand is high:
BB »While we do have some reservations about railway systems due to their higher complexity compared to road haulage, freight forwarders, industry and retail nonetheless benefit from the advantages of safe, stable and resource-saving transport. This is reflected in many long-standing customer relationships.«
Its high performance capability, as shown during the coronavirus pandemic, has led to increased attention and interest, she explains. The European Green Deal is committed to reducing the carbon footprint of freight transport.
BB »This is another reason why more and more companies are approaching us for rail-based solutions to move their goods.«
STRENGTHENING THE NETWORK
STRENGTHENING THE NETWORK
The opportunities for a greater shift to rail are there, along with the necessity to do so – but Boerke explains that there is more groundwork to be done.
BB »In some cases, the infrastructure is holding us back, such as in terms of the route network and terminal capacities. There is not yet enough coordination between the infrastructure operators in Europe.«
She also believes that the uncertain economic outlook is having an impact:
BB »We are seeing that goods flows are changing much more rapidly and are currently more volatile – and we need high capacities for pooling in rail freight.«
In her view, these challenges need to be met with an appropriate regulatory framework and secure, long-term funding.
BB »THE FOCUS NEEDS TO BE ON MAKING THE NETWORKS MORE ROBUST, EXPANDING TRACK AND TERMINAL CAPACITY AND MAKING BETTER USE OF THIS CAPACITY, AS WELL AS ON SPEARHEADING DIGITALISATION AT THE LEVEL OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURES FOR ACCELERATED AND CONSISTENT PROCESSES.«
LEVELLING THE PLAYING FIELD
LEVELLING THE PLAYING FIELD
With expansion of roughly three per cent per annum, combined transport has long been the growth driver of rail freight.
BB »BUT THIS GROWTH HAS TO BE A LOT HIGHER IN ORDER TO REDUCE EMISSIONS TO THE PLANNED EXTENT AND EASE THE STRAIN ON THE ROADS.«
She is demanding a levelling of the competitive playing field, such as an adjustment of the cost of railway usage to reflect that of road usage, arguing that the stringent regulation of rail freight – with different rules in different countries – increases the price of the service. As a result, she wants to see a harmonisation of regulations within the European Union. She points out that combined transport is extremely safe and resource-saving.
BB »With this in mind, I don’t really see competition between rail and road, but rather the challenge of tapping into the benefits of the various transport systems to create new services.«
Ultimately, she believes that all modes of transport – whether road, rail, shipping or airfreight – are required in order to ensure stable global supply chains, but places some of the onus on companies themselves in terms of product design.