SBB Cargo and Ultra-Brag Bring Scrap to Steel Gerlafingen

SBB Cargo, in collaboration with logistics partner Ultra-Brag AG and Steel Gerlafingen AG, is implementing a groundbreaking and climate-friendly transport solution for scrap metal for steel recovery. Instead of relying on road transport as before, up to 100,000 tons of steel scrap for Steel Gerlafingen will be logistically managed from abroad so that it can be delivered on demand by rail directly from the Swiss Rhine ports to the Gerlafingen plant. Ultra-Brag AG is responsible for the temporary storage and loading of the steel scrap. This alleviates the roads by approximately 4,000 trucks annually.

(Bern/Gerlafingen/Birsfelden) SBB Cargo is already operating for Steel Gerlafingen in domestic transport within Switzerland. The two companies have now signed a contract for additional rail transport of scrap until 2023. The transport commenced on April 8, 2021, from the Ultra-Brag terminal in Birsfelden towards the Gerlafingen plant.

Importance of Steel Recycling

Steel is one of the most widely used materials and can be completely recycled. As the largest recycling company in Switzerland, Steel Gerlafingen AG produces products for the construction and civil engineering sectors, as well as the machinery and metal industries, 99 percent from steel scrap sourced from both domestic and international markets. Annually, around 100,000 tons of steel scrap are delivered from neighboring countries Germany and France to the Swiss Rhine ports. Until now, this steel scrap was transported by road for recovery, as the varying quantities were not suitable for rail transport. To achieve greater flexibility in supply and as a climate-friendly transport solution, the partners Steel Gerlafingen and SBB Cargo sought solutions to fill the missing piece in the supply chain.

Logistics Solution Optimizes Supply Chain

The solution involves a slight detour and a third partner: At the Ultra-Brag terminal in the Birsfelden port, the scrap arrives by inland ship and truck, is stored, and then loaded into rail cars for transport to Gerlafingen as needed. This expansion of the logistics concept through temporary storage and subsequent loading onto freight cars contributes to shifting traffic from road to rail. This means an annual relief of approximately 4,000 trucks on the roads starting now. For Steel Gerlafingen, the new ecological transport solution also allows for high planning reliability, timely delivery, and easy processing through the partnership. Steel Gerlafingen, Ultra-Brag, and SBB Cargo have optimized logistics across the entire supply chain at the plant and during transport. Resource utilization can thus be made more efficient. All three companies benefit from this, and not least, the environment.

Nationally Significant Recycling Cycle

Désirée Baer, CEO of SBB Cargo, comments: “Thinking across the entire supply chain with our customers is an element of our strategy to develop environmentally friendly solutions for the supply and disposal of urban areas. We are convinced that SBB Cargo’s offering is a strong link in the sustainable, climate- and resource-friendly orientation of supply chains.” Alain Creteur, CEO of Steel Gerlafingen, points out: “Steel Gerlafingen plays an important role in the recycling of scrap and the supply of steel products in Switzerland. Our company closes a nationally significant recycling loop at the Gerlafingen site. With this efficient transport solution, we make an important contribution to shifting traffic and the targeted use of resources. By optimizing the supply chain, the storage of scrap on the plant premises in Gerlafingen is significantly reduced, and around 4,000 truck trips are shifted to rail annually.” Thomas Knopf, CEO of Ultra-Brag AG, notes: “Ultra-Brag has been committed to inland shipping for almost 100 years, making it the most environmentally friendly of all continental transport methods. By buffering the steel scrap at our terminal in Birsfelden, we contribute to a climate-friendly transport chain from port terminal to the Gerlafingen plant.”
Photo: © Ultra-Brag AG