Hupac SA has acquired an interest in SBB Cargo International

SBB Cargo and the intermodal operator Hupac have jointly founded an independent, neutral company, SBB Cargo International, to handle transalpine transit freight between Germany and Italy. Its clockface production system and lean structures will make the new company the cost leader on the north-south corridor between the two countries. The shareholders in SBB Cargo International are SBB Cargo (75%) and Hupac (25%).

Hupac is the leading intermodal transport operator through the Swiss Alps and one of the market leaders in Europe. The company works to ensure that an increasing volume of goods can be transported by rail and not by road, thus contributing to modal shift and environment protection. The Hupac Group comprises ten companies based in Switzerland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium.

SBB Cargo International’s customers will primarily comprise intermodal operators, who will account for about 80% of the planned total sales. Although Hupac will itself be the company’s largest single customer, the range of services is clearly geared to other large customers. Apart from operators, these include rail freight and other railway companies and individual large-volume shippers.

SBB Cargo is the subsidiary of Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) responsible for freight and Switzerland’s leading provider of rail freight services.

Oaklins' team in Switzerland acted as advisor to Hupac in this transaction.