Nexxiot and Knorr-Bremse Drive Digitalization of the Rail Industry Forward

Nexxiot, the globally active TradeTech pioneer, has formed a strategic partnership with the rail system provider Knorr-Bremse AG. Knorr-Bremse will integrate IoT hardware and software from Nexxiot into its technical products and systems for rail transport and connect them with Nexxiot’s data cloud. At the same time, Knorr-Bremse is entering as a strategic minority investor in Nexxiot. Knorr-Bremse and existing shareholders led by the investment company QVIDTVM will jointly invest a capital of 76 million Swiss francs in Nexxiot AG.

(Munich/Zurich) This unique partnership in the rail technology sector brings added digital connectivity to the customer base of the rail system provider. By integrating braking, door, climate, and sanitary systems, as well as other components from Knorr-Bremse into Nexxiot’s digital systems, the rail industry benefits in multiple ways: rail vehicles can be utilized more efficiently and lifecycle costs can be reduced.

With the new partnership, Knorr-Bremse and Nexxiot are responding to the increasing demand for IoT services for rail vehicle systems. Access to Nexxiot’s IoT technology opens up enormous business potential for Knorr-Bremse. Knorr-Bremse holds a significant global market share in the number of retrofittable installed brakes.

New Generation of Data-Driven Services

“With digitalization as a central pillar of our strategy, we aim to further strengthen our position in safety-critical and operationally essential systems for rail vehicles and lay the groundwork for sustained growth and strong profitability,” explains Dr. Jürgen Wilder, a member of the board of Knorr-Bremse AG responsible for the division of systems for rail vehicles. “Together with the team from Nexxiot, we aim to create sustainable added value for our customers. The networking of our system technologies with Nexxiot’s digital ecosystem will enable a new generation of data-driven services that will improve the availability of rail vehicles and optimize fleet operating costs.”

Global rail freight transport has steadily increased over the past 20 years, but the industry lacks real-time transparency and data necessary for economically efficient transport management. Of the five million railway wagons worldwide, only about eight percent are digitized. Thus, there remains enormous potential for retrofitting with IoT technology and digitized processes in the rail industry. With real-time analysis of railway operational data in the globally digital Nexxiot system, Knorr-Bremse can accurately predict the operational condition and maintenance needs of the systems. The positive effect is that customers can better manage their fleets thanks to status-based and predictive maintenance and utilize them cost-effectively. With IoT technology, fleet operators can automate critical processes and gain a wealth of new information that enhances efficiency, sustainability, customer service, and profitability.

Big Data from LINK Sensors

In the future, Knorr-Bremse will use Nexxiot Globehopper LINK sensors in its systems. These sensors detect the status of important parts of a rail vehicle, including doors and brakes, and send the data to the cloud. Nexxiot processes this data with its intelligent algorithms and big data analyses to enable new data-driven services and offerings.

“In partnership with Knorr-Bremse, we can develop the best products and services for the industry worldwide. Together, we will advance the digitalization of rail freight transport. With Knorr-Bremse and Nexxiot, two partners have come together to offer the most advanced technology in their respective fields. Our sensors and our scalable cloud-based platform transform rail vehicles into connected, data-generating units. The benefits derived from real-time data significantly contribute to our customers’ success. With Nexxiot, customers not only know where their goods are; thanks to the information, they can also shape transport processes,” says Stefan Kalmund, CEO of Nexxiot.

Nexxiot: Leading in Cross-Modal IoT Deployment and Global Visibility of Goods

Nexxiot is emerging as a leading IoT provider in the global multimodal freight transport market. In April 2022, Nexxiot announced a contract with Hapag-Lloyd, one of the five largest shipping companies. Nexxiot will equip a large part of the shipping company’s fleet of 3 million TEU containers with IoT technology. Both contracts, with Hapag-Lloyd and Knorr-Bremse, represent the world’s largest cross-modal IoT deployment in the shipping and rail industry. Through data transmission and analysis, the location and status of the cargo throughout the global supply chain become more transparent than ever before. Thanks to these innovations, supply chains are becoming more stable. Nexxiot is already a leading provider of IoT technology for rail vehicles, with 200,000 connected vehicles in Europe alone. This accounts for more than 25 percent of the fleets deployed in Europe. Nexxiot expects that by 2024, more than 2 million railway wagons and intermodally used freight containers will be digitized worldwide.

Photo: © Nexxiot