Grup Feroviar Român (GFR) is one of the most important private rail freight transport operators in Romania and Eastern Europe. According to UIC data, in Q1/2010 the company carried in Romania 1.840 thousand tonnes with 548 thousand tonne/km, 151 thousand tonne/km of which carried at international level. Grup Feroviar Român imposed on this market segment as a company which provides quality services at competitive prices while strictly observing the traffic safety rules. With integrated private capital, Grup Feroviar Român is nationally known for the quality services provided to its customers mainly due to the fact that the provided transport and logistics services are in compliance with the European Union standards. Since January 2010, GFR has met 90% of Petrom’s transport needs and all transport activities of CONPET. In March 2010, GFR became the first private operator to provide international transport services with Moldova Railways.
In 2008 the company bought the MAV Magyar Allamvasutak facility in Hungary, the transaction being part of other initiatives of the kind, such as the take over of 50% of the shares of the most important Bulgarian private railway operator, Bulgarian Railway Company (BRC), the acquisition of the Hungarian operator Train Hungary and of the Serbian rolling stock facility Zelvoz Smederevo, one of the largest of former Yugoslavia, as well as the establishment of Eurorail freight transport or forwarder subsidiaries in Serbia or Ukraine.
GFR’s offer can include both transport and auxiliary activities, depending on the customer’s requirements and aims at helping customers to overcome the problems which, although not related to their activity, are nevertheless necessary. The services provided by Grup Feroviar Român guarantee a customized package of services, according to the needs of every beneficiary, aiming at increasing efficiency and cutting down costs for an improved quality of railway freight transport operations.
GFR owns railway companies in Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia and Ukraine
GFR is a fully private company and provides services mainly in the field of railway freight transport, as certified railway transport operator, as well as freight wagon shunting operations on sidings. GFR’s offer includes the railway freight forwarding services using its own fleet of locomotives and wagons, wagon leasing for railway freight transport, revisions, rolling stock and rail overhaul and maintenance. The company also owns Transbordare Vagoane Marfă Company (TVM), which operates freight wagon transshipment on different gauges with work points in all CFR border stations with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. Moreover, the company manages Reva Simeria and Remar Paşcani companies which deal with periodical overhaul and modernisation of wagons and are specialized in the field of railway wagon repair, as well as freight and passenger wagon construction and modernisation.
GFR also owns 40% of Rolling Stock Company railway leasing company, a consortium which includes CFR Marfă and Reiffeisen Bank and develops rolling stock, as well as maintenance depots leasing activities. One of its recent investments took place in Brazi, Prahova County, where GFR has a modern complex which provides a wide range of services from train supply to locomotive overhaul.
In the first five months of 2010, Grup Feroviar Român (GFR), the largest private rail operator on the Romanian market, recorded a 10% growth in the turnover, the 2010 budget relying on a 14% growth to nearly EUR 115 Million. GFR owns 160 locomotives, 6,200 cars, 3,200 of which are tank wagons. On the national rail freight transport market, GFR rivals the state-owned company, CFR Marfă, but also private companies Servtrans and Unifertrans.
Grup Feroviar Român is leader in the transport of oil products, with a market share of 15.33% in 2009. GFR’s most important customers are Petrom OMV, Conpet, Petrotel Lukoil, Gefco, Lafarge, Holcim, the National Coal Company, Butan Gas and Arcelor Mittal.
by Elena Ilie
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