THROUGH THE TUBE AT 1,100 KM/H – HYPERLOOP IN GERMANY The hype surrounding the Hyperloop has died down. But that doesn’t mean work isn’t continuing on it, as the Technical University of Munich shows, because Germany is getting its first test tube in Bavaria. This first Hyperloop is to be built near Munich. The researchers want to use it to test hyperloop technology in practice. The tube is to be 24 meters long. A vacuum is to be created inside it so that a vehicle can move through the tubeContinue Reading
Founded by George Westinghouse as Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation, the origins of Wabtec Corporation date back to 1869. In its current form, Wabtec Corpo-ration has been in existence since 1999. Although Wabtec is rather unknown in the Euro-pean rail market apart from Faiveley Transport, the group has recently become one of the top ten rail system companies and achieved a turnover of around 7.8 billion dollars in the financial year 2021.At the end of the 19th century, George Westinghouse developed the air brake. The com-pany he founded, Westinghouse AirContinue Reading
Sustainability as a business model – pioneer Vossloh AGVossloh is a globally active and listed rail technology company headquartered in Werdohl, which today focuses on rail infrastructure in its core business. In the financial year 2021, the company’s sales could be fully attributed to the EU taxonomy regulation, thus underpinning the sustainability of Vossloh’s business model.The company has a long tradition: in 1888, the blacksmith Eduard Vossloh founded the company of the same name in Werdohl. As early as 1883, Vossloh was working on behalf of the Royal Prussian Railway,Continue Reading
Trade fairs offer companies an ideal setting to present themselves and their products to a large audience and are thus among the most effective marketing tools in B2B communication. To generate leads, it is not enough to act freely according to the motto “see and be seen”. The trade fair appearance must be subject to clear goals. Work on achieving these goals begins months before the actual trade fair – by means of pre-show marketing.Meaning of pre-show marketingAt trade fairs, you compete with many other companies for the attention ofContinue Reading
How NFTs could influence the rail market Non-fungible tokens have been the talk of the town for a long time: German Youtuber Fynn Kliemann, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and even the trading house Christie’s held auctions with non-fungible tokens (NFTs). So far, their use is mainly a topic in the art market, but NFTs have potential in other areas as well: the NFT blockchain is not limited to its use as a cryptocurrency platform alone. For all the hype, however, there is also justified criticism – the carbon footprint ofContinue Reading
The ASTRAN team has created an online framework for a lively exchange of information for industry experts. Insights from different perspectives and independent authors create a colorful picture of opinions on the special role of rail-based transport in reducing climate change. In-depth analysis, clear and robust market information helps to keep track in an increasingly complex dynamic information jungle. Air pollution and global warming are among the most pressing challenges facing humanity. One approach to solving the pressing problems of climate change is to increase the use of rail transport.Continue Reading
THE DIGITAL AUTOMATIC COUPLER (DAC) IS A FUNDAMENTAL BUILDING BLOCK AND MILESTONE FOR THE GROWTH OF RAIL FREIGHT TRANSPORT THROUGHOUT EUROPE!In the history of freight cars, screw couplings have been used exclusively ever since. In this process, a shackle weighing approx. 20 kg has to be placed on the hooks of two wagons so that the two wagons can then be connected to each other by turning a screw thread of the couplings. The air lines for brakes as well as power and data bus lines are then coupled byContinue Reading
3D printing has been in professional use in industry for many years and enables a wide variety of products. Since the first commercially available 3D printer in 1988, which was based on the laser sintering process, a lot has changed to today’s methods and processes. The generic term for all this is the so-called “additive processes”, in which components are built up layer by layer.Deutsche Bahn and all its suppliers also produce spare parts from metal and plastic using 3D printing. This can drastically shorten delivery times in particular. “InContinue Reading
The Corona pandemic has left its mark. According to calculations by the IW (Institute of the German Economy), GDP will shrink by a total of 300 billion euros between January 2020 and June 2021. The calculation is based on modelling an intact economy without Corona and comparing it with the current economic development. During the first lockdown in spring 2020, a loss of around 100 billion euros was incurred. Furthermore, there are 140 billion euros in losses between the lockdown in autumn 2020 and the end of June 2021. ItContinue Reading
The economy is picking up again and order books are slowly filling up again. This is a good opportunity for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to take advantage of subsidized consulting services. The product portfolio can be repositioned or organizations can be set up more robustly. In particular, young companies or companies in economic difficulties receive unbureaucratic and targeted assistance from experienced consultants through the support program of the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA). Small and medium-sized companies receive support through consulting subsidies. The support is worthwhile: entrepreneursContinue Reading
