Digital InnoTrans: The VDB Digital Dialog Forum – Dr Anne-Marie Grossmann

Dr Anne-Marie Grossmann Managing Director, Windhoff Bahn- und Anlagentechnik GmbH Together We Start the Mobility Revolution

“I’m itching to get going. We just heard we need a mobility revolution. But our society is still talking far too much about individual mobility and is supporting buyer’s premiums for the automobile industry. We need this revolution now. That requires people to start thinking differently. People in industry and in government. Dear government, dear viewers – please help. We are in this crisis now. The drop in turnover in rail freight in Q2 of 2020 is almost 20%.

Passenger figures in April collapsed by 90%. We – a member organisation of VDB – are expecting a significant drop in exports in 2020/21. At the same time we want to achieve the climate transition and we’re aware of the goals of the Paris Agreement. If we stay on our current path, we’ll miss them by a very great deal. Our industry knows the answer to both problems. From an ecological perspective, rail is unbeatable while having competitive costs and acceptable delivery periods. It is the alternative for people and goods. We – German SMEs – are both willing and able to make a contribution to overcoming the crisis, if you will let us.

We deliver innovations that contribute substantially to protecting our climate. In the global railway technology sector, many German SMEs are, hidden champions – market leaders. Windhoff is an example. Since 1889 we have been solving our customers’ challenges in vehicle and shunting technology. You only achieve such a position with the best-trained employees who incorporate their knowledge in innovative solutions, which we implement flexibly and without bureaucracy. Windhoff’s multipurpose vehicles help build and maintain our railways. The innovative multi-purpose

vehicle Ventus is the necessary breath of fresh air on the rail network. The modular concept delivers the right cost-effective, future-oriented solution, for example through emission-free traction modules. Protecting our climate starts with building and maintaining the rail network.

SMEs deliver quality throughout the entire life-cycle. We offer engineering skill throughout the value-creation chain, from primary materials such as recycled steel from electric steel plants to the factory equipment for fleet maintenance. No matter the area, we see ourselves as problem-solvers alongside our customers. Thanks to quality made in Germany, our products are durable. Our service is such that function is guaranteed throughout the life-cycle. That makes investments sustainable. With its innovative factory equipment, Windhoff makes sure that trains return to the rails more quickly. The use of our universal work stands the average downtime of the Austrian Railways trains could be cut by more than half. This

increased availability makes rail travel more attractive to passengers and therefore helps rail passenger numbers grow.

We are already providing solutions for the revolution. But they must be implemented. To do that we – industry and government – have to work together. We need customers who support our innovations. Procurement policies should look for innovative, emission-free concepts and make investment available to match. Our customers need the courage to bring about change quickly. That means the funding mechanisms must be manageable for small businesses too. But we also need government support so that rail travel can become more attractive. Incentives should focus on climate-friendly mobility so it’s crazy that I have to pay more for a train ticket from Berlin to Munich than for the same flight.

Abolishing differences between countries and supporting interoperability strengthens growth, for example via the Fourth Railway Package. If we work together, we can achieve our shared goals and get out of this crisis on the railway, full speed ahead. Long live the revolution!”