Compagnia Ferroviaria Italiana (CFI)

What Compagnia Ferroviaria Italiana (CFI) does

CFI (Compagnia Ferroviaria Italiana S.p.A.) is a privately held Italian rail freight operator founded in 2007 by CEO Giacomo Di Patrizi and headquartered in Rome. The company provides B2B rail transport services along Italy's longitudinal axis, connecting industrial districts, ports, and intermodal terminals through a portfolio that includes complete train transport (Treno Completo), intermodal solutions combining rail and road, door-to-door and terminal-to-terminal logistics, and integrated inter-plant flows for manufacturing supply chains. CFI targets enterprise customers in automotive, ironworks and siderurgy, chemical, and environmental/waste management verticals — anchored by relationships with names such as FCA and CNH Industrial.

The company's physical platform comprises a fleet of 24 locomotives (10–11 owned, 13–14 leased from partners such as MRCE Dispolok) and over 1,000 wagons selected from international suppliers based on customer cargo requirements, supported by two owned intermodal terminals — Fiorenzuola d'Arda in the North and Piedimonte San Germano in the South (the latter with a direct spur to FCA's plant). The 2023 acquisition of a 90% stake in Lotras Srl adds a third terminal at ASI-Incoronata in Foggia and entry into tank-train operations along the Adriatic axis. CFI operates 170+ trains per week, holds the ANSF Safety Certificate, EU Security Certificates A+B, and a license for dangerous goods transport, and claims at least a 75% reduction in CO2 emissions versus road freight.

Revenue is generated on a transaction-fee basis: contracted rail transport services priced per train or arrangement, plus unit-priced terminal services (€34 per crane move, €750 per train maneuver, €7 per day storage) and shunting/maneuver fees. Distribution is exclusively direct enterprise sales through a commercial team based in Rome, targeting large industrial customers via custom-configured solutions rather than standardized offerings. Ownership remains concentrated among four founder/management-related entities, with no institutional VC or PE sponsor identified beyond a reference to F2i Sgr as the controlling fund.

Name

Compagnia Ferroviaria Italiana (CFI)

Legal name

CFI Compagnia Ferroviaria Italiana S.p.A.

Website

https://compagniaferroviariaitaliana.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Short description

CFI is a privately held Italian rail freight operator founded in 2007 that runs 170+ weekly trains and intermodal terminals to provide complete-train, intermodal, and door-to-door logistics services to enterprise customers in automotive, steel, chemical, and waste management.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rail Freight Transport

NAICS

Line-Haul Railroads (482111), Support Activities for Rail Transportation (488210)

SIC

Railroads, Line-Haul Operating (4011), Railroad Switching & Terminal Establishments (4013)

akta.pro primary industry

Intermodal Terminal Operations (Rail–Truck) (TLAJAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Intermodal Terminal Operations (Rail Ramps/Port Intermodal Yards) (TLADAFAE), Warehousing, CFS & Bonded Storage for General Cargo (Within Terminal) (TLAHADAI)

Keywords

• Rail freight transport
• Intermodal logistics
• Railway terminal operations
• Complete train services
• Dangerous goods transport

Headquarters

HQ city

Borgo Roma

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Complete Train Transport Services: Full train transport services where CFI operates complete trains along main national railway axes to connect industrial areas with ports and terminals. Revenue is generated through contracted rail transport services, typically priced per train or service arrangement.
2. Intermodal Transport Services: Intermodal transport combining rail with road transport, including terminal-to-terminal, door-to-door, and interplant logistics flows. Services include crane operations, train maneuvers, and goods delivery.
3. Terminal Operations: Management and operation of intermodal terminals at Fiorenzuola D'Arda and Piedimonte San Germano, including loading/unloading services, storage, and transshipment. Revenue from crane fees, train maneuvers, and daily storage charges.
4. Railway Maneuver Services: Shunting and railway maneuver services at terminals and customer facilities, including positioning of trains and individual wagons.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Compagnia Ferroviaria Italiana (CFI) is a private Italian rail freight transport operator providing complete train transport, intermodal logistics, and terminal handling services for industrial customers across Italy. The company runs 170+ trains per week using a fleet of 24 locomotives and 1,000+ wagons, complemented by two proprietary intermodal terminals (Fiorenzuola d'Arda in the North and Piedimonte San Germano in the South). Services span terminal-to-terminal, door-to-door, inter-plant flows, railway maneuvers, crane operations, and RID-certified dangerous goods transport.

Product overview

CFI - Compagnia Ferroviaria Italiana is an Italian private railway freight transport operator established in 2007. The company operates a platform-plus-services model consisting of two core offerings: Complete Train (Treno Completo) for full train transport services, and CFI Intermodale for intermodal transport solutions. These are supported by a dedicated fleet of 24 locomotives and over 1,000 wagons, two strategically located intermodal terminals (Fiorenzuola d'Arda in the North and Piedimonte San Germano in the South), and a national railway network. The company provides supplementary services including terminal operations, door-to-door delivery, inter-stability flows for manufacturing supply chains, and crane/railway maneuvering. Services are delivered through three service tiers: Terminal to Terminal, Door to Door, and Inter-stability Flows.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CFI Intermodal: Intermodal transport division of CFI offering efficient and reliable services using dynamic and methodical operating models, providing clients with rapid and flexible solutions.

Products and services

• Treno Completo (Complete Train Service) Complete train (treno completo) rail freight transport for industrial customers, providing dedicated end-to-end train services for bulk industrial flows across Italy. Targeted at industrial shippers in automotive, steel, chemical, and waste management sectors.
• CFI Intermodal Services Intermodal rail-road combined transport services connecting CFI's terminals with customer sites, leveraging containers and swap bodies. For industrial shippers and logistics operators requiring flexible multimodal flows.
• Intermodal Terminal Operations - Fiorenzuola d'Arda (North) Terminal handling services at CFI's proprietary northern Italian intermodal terminal in Fiorenzuola d'Arda, providing loading, unloading, and intermodal transfer for rail and road flows. Serves industrial shippers and logistics customers in northern Italy.
• Intermodal Terminal Operations - Piedimonte San Germano (South) Terminal handling services at CFI's proprietary southern Italian intermodal terminal in Piedimonte San Germano, providing loading, unloading, and intermodal transfer for rail and road flows. Serves industrial shippers and logistics customers in central-southern Italy.
• Terminal-to-Terminal Service

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces CO2 emissions by at least 75% compared to road transport
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lotras SrlcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFI acquired 90% of Lotras Srl capital, with the remaining 10% retained by the De Girolamo family. Lotras is a primary Apulian logistics operator specializing in tank train operations. The acquisition strengthens CFI's Adriatic axis operations and adds the ASI-Incoronata terminal in Foggia. Armando De Girolamo continues as CEO, with closing expected by Q3. Synergies anticipated with F2i Sgr's port and airport terminals.
• MRCE DispolokminorOthersMRCE Dispolok is a locomotive leasing company from which CFI rents 7 Siemens E189 locomotives and 13 total leased locomotives. This is a standard commercial leasing arrangement for rail equipment.
• Sada (acquired 2012)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2012, CFI acquired Sada's intermodal business including its two terminals (Piedimonte San Germano and Fiorenzuola D'Arda), marking the birth of CFI Intermodal division. This acquisition established CFI as a leader in Italian intermodal transport.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Hupac: Swiss intermodal terminal operator running trans-Alpine and Italy-bound intermodal services. Comparable to CFI's intermodal division in modal-shift value proposition and terminal-operations model, though primarily trans-Alpine focused rather than domestic Italian.
• SBB Cargo Italia: Italian subsidiary of Swiss Federal Railways' cargo division, providing rail freight services through the Alps into Italy. Comparable to CFI for cross-border intermodal and complete-train services, with Swiss parent backing and focus on transit traffic.

Direct peers

• Captrain Italia: Italian subsidiary of France's Captrain (SNCF Group), providing rail freight services in Italy including complete trains and intermodal. Direct peer to CFI in scope and target customers, with international parent support.
• InRail: Italian private rail freight operator focused on intermodal and complete-train services, with operations across Northern Italy. Closely comparable to CFI in scope (intermodal, complete trains, industrial customers) and similar customer verticals.
• Rail Traction Company (RTC): Italian private rail freight operator owned by German rail group HGK, providing complete-train and intermodal services. Directly comparable to CFI's complete-train model and competes for similar industrial customers in Northern Italy.
• GTS Rail (GTS Logistic Solutions): Italian private rail freight operator providing intermodal and conventional rail services, including complete-train operations. Competes head-to-head with CFI in the Italian private-rail-freight segment, particularly on intermodal and industrial customers.

Broad incumbents

• Mercitalia Logistics (FS Italiane): State-owned rail freight arm of Italian railway group Ferrovie dello Stato, the dominant player in Italian rail freight. Direct competitor to CFI for complete-train and intermodal services across Italy, with significantly larger scale and state backing.
• TX Logistik: European rail freight operator owned by Italy's Mercitalia/FS, operating across Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland and beyond. Comparable to CFI as a competitor in Italian and cross-border intermodal/rail freight, with larger pan-European network.
• DB Cargo Italia: Italian subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn's freight division, one of Europe's largest rail freight operators. Competes with CFI in complete-train and intermodal segments, with broader pan-European network and substantially larger scale.

Emerging players

• Oceanogate Italia: Italian intermodal operator connecting ports (especially Genoa) with inland terminals via rail, part of the Contship Italia group. Comparable to CFI's intermodal/terminal-operations model, with a port-centric rather than industrial-district focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cfi---compagnia-ferroviaria-italiana-s.p.a

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Compagnia Ferroviaria Italiana (CFI)