EuropEan
Grup Feroviar Rom창n (GFR)
Feature
On the
track Grup Feroviar Rom창n (GFR) (Romania) is the biggest private rail transport operator in Romania and one of the largest in South Eastern Europe. By Ian Armitage
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stablished in 2001, Grup Feroviar Român (GFR) (Romania) has become the largest private sector open access operator in Romania. As well as running freight services, it provides traction and infrastructure maintenance services and offers locomotives and wagons for hire to other operators. GFR also has interests in the Bulgarian Railway Company AD and in 2010, GFR, part of the Grampet Group, acquired the assets and interests of Rompetrol Logistics (RPL). “This transaction strengthens GFR’s leadership position in its core business market, the transport of oil,” said Gruia Stoica, Grampet Group President, in a statement. “At the same time, taking railway activities of Rompetrol Group will have a positive impact on operators’ activities in Bulgaria and Hungary. It’s a step you do to become largest rail operator in South Eastern Europe.” GFR, Grampet Group’s “most important project”, operates across a major part of the Romanian rail network and has established collaborative arrangements with neighbouring railway companies in Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia and Ukraine. It has been especially active in the petroleum products and aggregates sectors, but also provides train marshalling, shunting and terminal operations services. In 2010 GFR commenced cross-border operations into Moldova.
GRUP FEROVIAR ROMÂN (GFR)
Last year, the company transported approximately 12.27 million net tons, reaching a turnover of 179 million euros (estimated turnover)
GFR has concluded collaboration agreements with: BDZ (the Bulgarian national rail freight operator) ZS (the Serbian Railways) UZ (the Ukrainian Railways) CFM (the Moldavian Railways) Private rail freight transport operators from Bulgaria and Hungary.
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GRUP FEROVIAR ROMÂN (GFR)
“Grup Feroviar Român has elaborated its development principles in compliance with all the conditions of compatibility and interoperability with the European railway system,” information the company sent European Outlook says. “GFR is an affiliated member of the International Union of Railways (UIC), a member of CIT (International Transport Committee) and CER (European Railway Committee), and an associated member of the Organization for the Collaboration of Railways (OCCF),” it adds. “Also, from 2012 GFR has been approved as an individual member of International Federation of Freight Associations (FIATA).” GFR is a national leader in the transportation of petroleum products, with a 90 percent market share. It has also extended its activity in the transport of other goods: coal, aggregates, broken stone, slag, cement, and cereals, to name a few. GFR estimates, based on the existing contracts, market share in rail freight transport will increase 33 percent.
“GFR’s main areas of business are internal and international rail freight transport, railway shunting on industrial platforms”
Customers The most important customers of GFR OMV PETROM
HOLCIM
LUKOIL
ARCELOR MITTAL
ROMPETROL
GEFCO
CONPET
DACIA RENAULT
LAFARGE
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GFR is an affiliated member of the International Union of Railways (UIC)
Its most important customers are Petrom OMV, Conpet, Petrotel Lukoil, Gefco, Lafarge, Holcim, the National Coal Company, Butan Gas and ArcelorMittal. “Last year, the company transported approximately 12.27 million net tons, reaching a turnover of 179 million euro (estimated turnover),” the company told us. GFR owns a fleet of 260 locomotives and 8.000 wagons, but it manages more than 350 locomotives and over 13500 wagons. GFR is also the majority shareholder of Rolling Stock Company, which owns 80 locomotives and 6,000 wagons. “They can be leased to GFR both for transport operations during peak periods of transport demand and in case of contracting new transport routes,” the company says. “GFR’s main areas of business are internal and international rail freight transport, railway shunting on industrial platforms, revision and current maintenance of freight locomotives and wagons, management of noninteroperable public railway lines, current maintenance and repair of railways lines, railway logistics, specialised assistance in the field of railway transport and rental of wagons and locomotives,” an industry expert told European Outlook in 2011. To learn more about the company visit www.gfr.ro.
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114 Victoria Street, District 1 Bucharest, Romania 010092 Tel: +40-21 318 3090 / +40-37 233 6010 Fax: +40-21 318 3091 / +40-37 233 6011 Email: oďŹƒce@gfr.ro
www.gfr.ro