RheinCargo starts the new year with a new organizational structure

The logistics service provider RheinCargo GmbH & Co. KG (RC) has restructured its two business areas, port and railway. Effective from the new year, the previously parallel operating port areas North (Neuss/Düsseldorf) and South (Cologne) have been merged under a common management. In the freight railway sector, RheinCargo has established three profit centers: long-distance transport, regional transport, and industrial transport.

(Köln/Neuss) “The restructuring of a corporate organization is not done for its own sake. Rather, the market and framework conditions are constantly changing. In the future, it will be even more important to offer climate-neutral products that are also economically viable. We are addressing challenges of this kind by strategically preparing RheinCargo for the future,” explains RC Managing Director Götz Jesberg, who oversees the company’s operational activities.

Alongside him, since January 2, 2024, Sascha Odermatt has been working as the commercial managing director of RheinCargo. He has taken on the role in conjunction with his position as managing director of Neuss-Düsseldorfer Häfen GmbH (a joint RC shareholder with Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln AG). “We see the change as an opportunity. With our ports and freight railway, we are already pioneers in sustainable logistics. We want to and will expand our position in this regard,” says Sascha Odermatt.

Introduction of profit centers in rail freight transport

The further development of RheinCargo includes several measures. In the rail freight sector, sales and operations for regional transport, industrial transport, and long-distance transport will each be consolidated into their own profit centers. The management of regional transport will be taken over by Caroline Calmund, previously the sales team leader, while Timo Reuter, previously the interim commercial manager of industrial and factory railways, will lead industrial transport. The management of long-distance transport will be the responsibility of Steffen Volkmer, who most recently held the position of head of production in Germany at SBB Cargo Deutschland, starting in spring 2024.

“With Ms. Calmund and Mr. Reuter, we have been able to recruit two ambitious and competent professionals from our own ranks, who have sufficiently proven their abilities for these leadership roles. We are confident that they will successfully lead the profit centers,” says Götz Jesberg. He adds: “Mr. Volkmer is an absolute asset to RheinCargo with his management skills.” Paul Schumacher, who was previously responsible for railway operations, will transition to the new head of the safety/processes/quality area. “It is of great importance that this sensitive area is managed by an experienced professional. We are very pleased that we were able to recruit Mr. Schumacher for this role,” assesses Götz Jesberg.

To better respond to customer needs and open up new value creation fields, the structures in the port area will also be adjusted. One consequence is that from 2024, the two units North and South will be merged under the common management of Lukas Klippel (previously head of port North). “We strengthen the organization by introducing uniform standards. Mr. Klippel is exactly the right person to manage these processes,” says Götz Jesberg.

Farewell of long-time port chief Ludwig Peter

The restructuring is accompanied by the retirement of Ludwig Peter. For more than 23 years, he has been responsible for the management of the Cologne ports, initially at Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln AG (HGK), and since 2012 as a joint department head at HGK and RheinCargo. “With Ludwig Peter, RheinCargo loses a deserving colleague who has always dedicated himself fully to his companies. Thanks to his efforts, the six ports are exceptionally successful,” explains Sascha Odermatt, “we thank Mr. Peter for everything he has done for our companies. We wish him all the best for this new chapter in his life.” Ludwig Peter, in turn, thanks “all colleagues for the long, good, and trusting cooperation. This is especially true for the members of my team, who have always supported me loyally. I wish my successors much success!”

The transport and logistics industry continues to face numerous transformation processes. RheinCargo has developed suitable instruments for this, of which the responsible parties are convinced. “We have internally named the program ‘Fit for future 2030’. We are confident that we have embarked on the right path for a successful future for RheinCargo,” say Götz Jesberg and Sascha Odermatt.

Photo: © RheinCargo