SŽ – VIT
On the Right Track
It is almost halfway through 2019, and the past year’s business performance is still a hot topic. With operating revenues and expenses totaling EUR 122.7m and EUR 122.5m, respectively, SŽ – VIT concluded the 2018 financial year in the black, achieving an operating result of EUR 245 thousand.
An important indicator of SŽ – VIT business performance is revenues from international operations. These are mostly comprised of maintenance services, which account for more than half of total revenues. In maintenance, 79,25% of revenues were generated from services supplied to our two main clients, the passenger operator SŽ – Potniški promet and freight operator SŽ – Tovorni promet, with the remaining 20,75% made up of other clients in Slovenia and abroad.
The company reported a year-on-year increase of 2.2% in international revenues. Services on international markets and to clients outside SŽ Group exceeded the planned target, accounting for EUR 12m, or almost 21% of all revenues in maintenance. Relations with foreign clients were strengthened and, in some cases, expanded, so additional international orders are expected later this year. Maintenance of freight wagons and wheel-sets reached the maximum volume of orders, with shops operating at capacity.
The largest 2018 project with respect to revenues was level IS3 wheel- set reconditioning, followed by a major project for the supply of TSI wheel-sets, which is currently still in progress. While most revenues on international markets are still generated in wheel-set maintenance and overhaul, there is enough demand for other services in our portfolio, also. In recent years, a steady increase was noted in maintenance of freight wagons operating on Slovenian rail network, which are serviced at six different locations (i.e. Dobova, Ljubljana, Maribor, Ptuj, Divača, and Koper).
The shops at Dobova and Ptuj are practically at capacity this year, with things looking similar at Ljubljana and Maribor, which is currently working on a project to repower engines on shunting locomotives and a project for modernization of diesel multiple units. Moreover, Ljubljana Center plans to expand business to international markets, and has already completed first overhauls for a foreign client.
2019 sees all our regular clients continue doing business with us and even more would join if it was not for capacity restraints. Similar to previous years, our largest international market is Germany, followed by France and Austria.
Additionally to Transport Logistic, you can also find us at events held by VPI and CRSC and in various rail media advertisements. Staying proactive is key on any market, and so we will keep reaching out to potential clients to forge new partnerships.
Maintenance Functions Certificate Renewed and Expanded
In November 2018 the Swiss certification body Sconrail carried out, in line with Commission Regulation (EU) No 445/2011, an assessment to renew SŽ – VIT’s maintenance functions certificate and expand it to cover tractive and trailing stock other than freight wagons and wheelsets.
The current certificate for freight wagon maintenance, which was obtained back in 2012 and was one of the first certificates delivered to a maintenance supplier in Europe, was re-assessed and successfully renewed. In second part, the assessment involved a first- time check of the key process compliance with respect to locomotives, powered passenger vehicles (trainsets and multiple units), carriages, self-propelled maintenance vehicles and engineering trains, and was focused on safety and on the compliance of SŽ – VIT’s processes with safety requirements.
The certification allows for important parameters, which are typically set high especially in regards to safety, to be implemented in good time. In addition, it boosts SŽ – VIT’s competitiveness and grants us a competitive edge in regards to the upcoming EU directive on trailing stock. Successfully passing the assessment puts SŽ – VIT to the very top of ECM-certified shops in Europe.
On-site inspections were carried out at SŽ – VIT HQ, all shop centers (Ljubljana, Divača, Dobova, Ptuj, and Maribor), and worksites (Zalog, Nova Gorica, Novo mesto, Celje, and Tezno). The assessors were satisfied to see that key processes were carried out in an acceptable manner despite the differing types of vehicles under maintenance at each respective location. Other than the shops and sites in charge of freight wagon maintenance, which have previous experience with ECM, the centers and worksites under assessment were completely new to taking on ECM duties.
Concerning the assessment of maintenance functions for locomotives, powered passenger vehicles, carriages, self-propelled maintenance vehicles and engineering trains, the principle is similar to the assessment in freight wagon maintenance with the difference that Regulation No 455/2011, which was previously limited to freight wagons, was adjusted accordingly so as to be applied to the tractive and trailing stock concerned. The relevant certificate was delivered on 18 March 2019 and is valid up until 10 February 2024.
