"By merging the two companies, we hope to increase our efficiency in serving our customers in the automotive sector. The merger is a esponse to the industry’s greater demand for integrated network solutions for components as well as finished vehicles from a single source," says Karsten Sachsenröder, ember of the Management Board of DB Schenker Rail responsible for Sales. The new company, called DB Schenker Rail Automotive GmbH, has already been registered in the Commercial Register since September 15th. The locations and organizations of the two companies are expected to be merged and the new corporate identity introduced in the first quarter of 2011.

DB Schenker Rail Automotive GmbH will continue to be managed by the Automotive Market Unit at the Europe level of DB Schenker Rail. It comprises four divisions. Head of this Market Unit is Axel Marschall, responsible for comprehensive business development and coordinating the cooperation with the uropean sister companies as Chairman of Business Management. The Finished Vehicles Division (formerly ATG) will be headed by Managing Director Peter Büsing; Components (formerly SAR) will continue to be managed by Managing Director Jens Nöldner. Arthur Meurer will serve as Managing Director for Finance and Controlling.

There will continue to be differentiated sales and dispatching structures for finished vehicles and components to satisfy the different purchasing behaviors, customer contacts and their specific features. The new structure continues to ensure business neutrality through third-party forwarders for the finished vehicle business. With over 200 trains a day and over three million finished vehicles a year, automotive transportation logistics from DB Schenker Rail is the market leader on European railway tracks, generating sales of around 650 million euros in the year 2009.