Stahl

Rail Freight: A Cornerstone of Industrial Competitiveness

“Rail is not a nice-to-have for industry. It is an essential component of Switzerland’s supply infrastructure.”

A clear and compelling message from our CEO, Alain Creteur, delivered at the SBB FFS Cargo Management Day.

Together with Olivier Barbery, Thomas Amstutz and Alexander Muhm, he highlighted the critical role rail freight must play to ensure the long-term competitiveness of Swiss industry.

For Stahl Gerlafingen, this is not a theoretical debate but a business-critical reality. As Switzerland’s leading recycling #steel producer, we rely heavily on rail to sustain operations and ensure secure, efficient supply chains.

Why this matters:

around 50% of incoming scrap and 50% of outgoing steel are transported by rail;

over the past seven years, rail has enabled the movement of millions of tonnes of material, avoiding tens of thousands of truck journeys;

this contributes significantly to reducing our Scope 3 emissions and reinforces the sustainability of Switzerland’s industrial ecosystem.

Rail freight delivers scale, environmental performance and strategic value. However, for it to remain competitive and grow, it must evolve, becoming more reliable, more flexible, and truly customer-oriented.

As Alain Creteur underlined: if rail freight becomes simpler, more dependable and aligned with customer needs, industry will support its expansion. Because rail is not just a logistics solution, it is a cornerstone of competitiveness, #decarbonisation and resilience for Switzerland’s industrial base.