RTChem pushes rail advantages

THE BETTER ROUTE

RAIL • RTCHEM OFFERS CHEMICAL SHIPPERS A COST-EFFECTIVE LOGISTICS ALTERNATIVE USING RAIL TO HANDLE LARGE VOLUMES OF PRODUCT WITH DUE CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

TRAFFIC JAMS AND increasingly restrictive regulations are the most common problems that road transport companies have to cope with. But, thanks to technical and operational developments and the number of different private players that have joined the market in recent years, rail can now offer a valuable alternative, RTChem believes.

Seeking a logistics service provider that is certified, experienced and meets individual company requirements is pivotal to success when embracing rail. Rail freight management in Europe is RTChem’s core businesses. It offers unit trains moving huge quantities of goods in regular operations. It also assists with procuring freights for individual wagons on the conventional networks of European state railways. This allows owners of their own fleet of wagons to focus 100 per cent on core competences.

Support is the key to success. RTChem can manage wagon fleets, relieving businesses of the burden of time and resource-intensive work. The intelligent fleet management system is based on the latest IT systems, ensuring clients are always kept up to date via the monitoring tool. Freight management can be readily combined with other services provided by RTChem, such as fleet or damaged wagon management.

A virtual dossier on the monitoring system helps reduce the administrative burden for clients. Personalised dossiers, containing all the data relating to specific transport fleets, is managed by RTChem and can be viewed online at any time. RTChem will also deal with rental agreements, inspections and non-routine maintenance expenses, look after invoice verification and further charging in accordance with companyspecific requirements.

By analysing key performance indicators, RTChem checks the logistical parameters in the transport chain and can identify existing optimisation opportunities. Up to 20 per cent of logistics costs can be saved, the company says, greatly contributing towards improving shippers’ competitiveness.

MEETING THE UNEXPECTED Having direct access to the key points in the transport process and acute knowledge of return times and movement frequencies allows RTChem to massively reduce roundtrip times. The standing times during unloading and loading are traceable with »

RTChem, making costs quantifiable and allowing customers to plan production exactly and know which wagons will return at what time.

Customers are proactively informed by the specialists at the RTChem Operation Centre in the event of irregularities. Furthermore, clients have the opportunity to access the monitoring tool at any time using a password-protected internet, allowing them to take advantage of RTChem’s specialist knowledge. The system is designed in a modular fashion, providing each user with the services they need.

In the event of unplanned downtime, clients can rely on RTChem’s extensive experience and large contact network of mobile service teams and workshops. If a wagon suffers damage, RTChem will immediately inform the client, advise on the repairs that are needed and the likely cost – including downtime, cleaning and empty freight runs – and will arrange an immediate replacement.

Repairs will be carried out directly at the site (if possible) by RTChem’s mobile service teams. Using a mobile service team means that no transport runs to workshops needing to be made, saving a lot of time and money. If a stop at a workshop cannot be avoided, the specialists at RTChem will intervene and ensure repair times are minimal. Regular updates on the status of the damaged wagon for the duration of the repair and a strict invoice check guarantees that repair expenditure remains within the quote.

THE CHEM IN RTCHEM RTChem prides itself on having the flexibility to identify, source and manage the best options for its customers – notably those shipping chemicals, pressurised gases, oils and powders. A close partnership with Millet SA provides RTChem with highly experienced associates on delicate matters such as wagon management and the maintenance and repair of rail cars.

The technical support provided by RTChem encompasses consultancy in conjunction with technical and product-specific evaluations and dangerous goods appraisals concerning equipment. Furthermore, RTChem assist in technical or legal revisions, utilising industry knowledge for clients during negotiations with suppliers from specific areas of technology.

As a specialist in the transport of chemicals by rail, RTChem has been a participant in the Safety & Quality Assessment for Sustainability (SQAS) system since 2007. SQAS was established by the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) some 25 years ago as a way of providing consistent evaluation of the level of quality, safety, security and environmental performance of logistics service providers in the chemical supply chain. In cooperation with the International Union of Railways (UIC), an SQAS package specifically designed for rail operators was introduced in 2000.

RAILWAY ADVANTAGES According to RTChem, rail traffic is the most reliable traffic mode and it comes with a high level of safety, so much so that the accident rate of rail traffic participants is almost zero. Furthermore, because of the low emissions from rail travel, environmental concerns from clients can readily be met. RTChem states that only 8 per cent of environmental impacts from the transport industry come from railway transport, while road transport is responsible for up to 90 per cent – even though road traffic performance is around 50 per cent lower than the traffic performance of rail transport. Road transportation globally is experiencing a growing number of requirements and regulations on speed, punctuality, reliability and flexibility that all favour rail transport in the eyes of RTChem. Rail enables the transportation of a larger quantity of goods on medium or long distances at relatively low costs. This is particularly useful when considering border crossings, which typically have reduced restrictions on rail when compared to road, decreasing time spent in transit. HCB www.rtchem.eu/en

THE RAIL FREIGHT OPTION OFFERS A VERY SAFE AND

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVE TO ROAD,