Akiem, a major European player for rail operators, manufacturers and local government authorities, has announced that it is deploying a new business development strategy and reorganisation of its activities.
Based on reinforcing its leasing plus maintenance contracts throughout Europe, Akiem’s new strategy is in anticipation of the end of the health and economic crisis and aligns with the new and growing requirements of a market that expects performance, reliability and agility to accelerate the implementation of the modal shift towards rail.
Fabien Rochefort, CEO of Akiem, said: “Rail is taking on a major role that has been particularly revealed by the COVID-19 crisis. To respond to environmental concerns and the demand for a modal shift to rail throughout Europe, our customers have more than ever a need for an effective, reliable and integrated service to enable them to meet their biggest challenges.
“We are transforming to meet the needs of freight operators, new night train services, and regional transport services being put out to competition. This transformation involves restructuring our technical and industrial capacity, strengthening our European maintenance ecosystem, and putting out an integrated service offering that we want to be a standard-setter for the market.”
Reorganisation of Akiem’s activities and service offering around an unprecedented integrated service
To deploy this change in strategy, Akiem is reorganising its activities and has created Akiem technik, a brand bringing together all of the company’s industrial and technical expertise. Thanks to the synergy generated through combining the expertise of Akiem and Akiem technik, Akiem is transforming its Full Service offering of leasing, management and maintenance.
Akiem technik’s goal is to manage and execute maintenance operations in such a way as to deliver a local service that guarantees operators an unrivalled level of reliability, safety and availability.
Akiem technik is at the centre of the Akiem maintenance ecosystem, with its staff at the service of Akiem’s 65 customers in 17 European countries. The ecosystem is based on:
· Organisation of maintenance methods engineering that enables the company to carry out maintenance operations on 15 different types of vehicle;
· Centralised organisation of a supply chain for spare parts and major components that is unique in Europe, with 7,800 different article numbers covering five brands of the best-known manufacturers in the market;
· Technical maintenance operations structured around maintenance workshops and numerous service points manned by more than 60 technicians and a network of first-rate partners;
· A sense of service unmatched in the market and 24/7 technical availability in seven languages.
Fabien Rochefort added: “We have decided to rationalise and develop our organisation and maintenance activities around the new Akiem technik brand. In early 2021, our people will be launching a new Full Service offer that will be the only one of its kind in Europe. This integrated solution from Akiem is based on service standards with ambitious targets for responsiveness, availability, reliability and safety, with contracts and their execution managed in complete transparency by a single contact person.”
A new stage in Akiem’s growth in Europe
The European leader in locomotive leasing, and a new entrant in the passenger train sector, Akiem has undergone considerable expansion since it was set up in 2008. With this streamlined organisation, Akiem is beginning a new stage in its European growth after having acquired Macquarie European Rail last February. The Akiem group now has over 750 locomotives and passenger vehicles and is taking a full part in the revival of rail everywhere in Europe.
Appointments of Michael Lautenbach and Jörg Althöfer
As part of this transformation, Michael Lautenbach is appointed vice-president of the Akiem group in charge of assets, maintenance and operations.
Michael Lautenbach retains his functions as managing director of Akiem technik, now in charge of business development and transformation. He will work with Jörg Althöfer, appointed joint managing director of Akiem technik in charge of operations.
Franck Besnard and Patrice Bildstein continue in their respective functions at Akiem as managing director and deputy managing director with responsibility for sales activities in Europe.
Photo credit: Akiem
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