IGT

What IGT does

IGT mbH (Inbetriebnahmegesellschaft Transporttechnik mbH), headquartered in Salzgitter, Germany, is a privately held engineering and railway transport services firm operating across Germany and the broader European Economic Area. The company operates three integrated units: an accredited testing laboratory (DAkkS, DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018) that performs functional testing of rail vehicles across brake systems, doors, passenger boarding, electrical systems, control technology and ETCS/train control systems; a Type A Independent Assessment Body (UBS/AsBo) recognized by the Federal Railway Authority (EBA) under EU Regulation 402/2013 for risk management procedure assessment; and a railway transport company (EVU) holding a European Railway Agency Single Safety Certificate (SSC), enabling the firm to execute its own test runs, transfer runs, and accident management on public rail networks. Specialized assets include owned Doppler radar measurement equipment and a fleet of height-adjustable coupling wagons rated to 600 kN traction and 1000 kN compression for inter-vehicle coupling with mismatched SOK heights.

The company's revenue model is project-based professional services: quoted, multi-year engagements for vehicle authorization support, functional testing, quality inspection, certification evidence compilation (TSI, NNTR, EU 402/2013), and route compatibility checks delivered to railway vehicle manufacturers, railway operators (EVUs), and regulatory/assignment-holding bodies. Go-to-market is direct enterprise sales, supplemented by professional training seminars on the 4th Railway Package, ETCS, CSM-VO/RMV, and brake system understanding, which double as a top-of-funnel marketing channel. Distribution is exclusively direct; the company maintains its own sales team reachable via [email protected] and +49 5341 8624-600. IGT also co-owns rail³ GmbH, a 2015 joint venture with LogoMotive GmbH and Rörden GmbH that bundles NoBo, DeBo, and AsBo capabilities, and maintains partnership arrangements with Team ZugPool, Ostfalia University, die zugvögel, and Holsteinbahn for personnel, training, and complementary expertise. Leadership comprises Geschäftsführer Ralf Karschunke and Kaufmännischer Leiter Christian Schaefer; ownership is undisclosed and no parent or PE/VC backing has been identified.

Name

IGT

Legal name

IGT - Inbetriebnahmegesellschaft Transporttechnik mbH

Website

https://igt-bahn.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IGT mbH is a German accredited railway testing laboratory, EBA-recognized independent assessment body (UBS/AsBo), and licensed railway transport company (EVU) with an ERA Single Safety Certificate, providing functional testing, safety assessment, and test/transfer run services to rail vehicle manufacturers, operators, and regulators across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rail Vehicle Testing & Certification Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (541380)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Rolling Stock Testing, Inspection & Certification (NDT, commissioning, compliance) (TLAKAIAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Third-Party Certification, Code Compliance & Regulatory Inspection (ASME/API/ISO) (EUAEAHAN)

Keywords

• Rail vehicle testing
• Railway safety assessment
• Vehicle certification services
• Rail transport services
• Railway inspection

Headquarters

HQ city

Salzgitter

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Testing and Inspection Services: Professional engineering services including functional testing of rail vehicles, quality inspection, documentation of test results, and certification support for vehicle authorization. Services cover the entire product lifecycle from requirements specification through acceptance runs.
2. Railway Transport Company Operations: Own EVU operations providing test runs, transfer runs, and transportation services for rail vehicles. Services include application preparation, personnel provision, scheduling, and execution of trial runs for vehicle testing and authorization.
3. Professional Training Seminars: Industry seminars covering 4th Railway Package, ETCS basics, CSM-VO and RMV, and brake system understanding. Offered as online seminars, in-house training, or in-person sessions at company premises.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

IGT is a combined engineering office and railway transport undertaking (EVU) that delivers rail vehicle functional testing, independent safety assessments, test and transfer runs, accident management services, and accredited inspections for railway vehicle manufacturers, operators, and regulatory bodies. The firm operates a DAkkS-accredited testing laboratory, an EBA-recognized Assessment Body (AsBo), and runs its own traction vehicles with trained drivers to support commissioning, homologation, and accident response work.

Product overview

IGT (Inbetriebnahmegesellschaft Transporttechnik mbH) is a combined engineering office and railway transport company (EVU) offering integrated services for rail vehicle testing, inspection, and certification. The core offering consists of three main divisions: (1) Prüfstelle - an accredited testing facility (DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025) providing functional tests and vehicle certification evidence; (2) Inspektionsstelle - a Type A inspection body (UBS/AsBo) providing independent safety assessments; and (3) EVU/Fahrzeugtechnik - a railway transport company with SSC providing test runs, transfer runs, coupling wagons, and accident management. Additional services include professional seminars on railway topics (ETCS, CSM-VO, brake systems, 4th Railway Package) and specialized Kuppelwagen (coupling wagons) for flexible vehicle transport. The company distinguishes itself through the combination of technical engineering expertise with operational EVU capabilities, enabling seamless service delivery from requirements analysis through to certification and vehicle transfer.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Testing Facility (Prüfstelle) DAkkS DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory that performs rail vehicle functional testing, brake testing, and measurement services for vehicle manufacturers, operators, and homologation projects.
• Inspection Office (Inspektionsstelle) Independent inspection body providing ECM audits, CSM-RA safety assessments, and EBA-recognized independent safety assessment (AsBo) services for railway undertakings and infrastructure managers.
• Railway Transport Services / Vehicle Technology (EVU / Fahrzeugtechnik) Licensed railway undertaking (EVU) that carries out test runs, transfer runs, commissioning runs, and accident management operations using its own traction vehicles and trained drivers, holding a Single Safety Certificate (SSC).
• Seminars & Training Industry seminars and training courses covering ECM certification, CSM-RA risk assessment, railway safety topics, and regulatory frameworks for railway professionals and operators.
• Coupling Wagons (Kuppelwagen) Specialized coupling wagons deployed as part of test and transfer operations to support railway vehicle movements and accident management tasks.

Quantifiable outcome

• One of the first German railway transport companies to receive Single Safety Certificate from ERA in 2020
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• rail³ GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2015Joint venture founded by IGT mbH, LogoMotive GmbH, and Rörden GmbH with equal ownership on 11.11.2015 in Salzgitter. Bundles expertise in inspections (NoBo, DeBo, AsBo) across the three companies. rail³ offers recognized expertise for all areas and can provide complete services from testing laboratory through EVU from a single source.
• LogoMotive GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDimensions mechanical overall system and optimizes individual components, analyzes vehicle behavior in traffic system considering vehicle-track interaction, develops proofs for traffic system safety, and investigates risks and reliability.
• Ing.-Büro Rörden GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 2007 to provide expert and testing services for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) in the railway sector.
• Team ZugPool - Beratende Ingenieure PartG mbBminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeam ZugPool (TZP) offers comprehensive services for conception, planning, setup, commissioning, and support of vehicle pools for rail passenger transport (SPNV). Alternative propulsion vehicles have become a TZP focus area since 2015/16.
• Bentheimer Eisenbahn AGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates rail passenger transport on RB 56 (Regiopa Express) on Bad Bentheim – Neuenhaus route for LNVG. Also operates rail freight transport on Bad Bentheim – Coevorden (NL) route and maintains in-house rail vehicle workshop. BE Netz GmbH is responsible for rail infrastructure.
• Ostfalia Hochschule für angewandte WissenschaftenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner for Smart Transportation Systems (B.Sc.) program at Ostfalia University's Institute for Traffic Management. IGT serves as practice partner providing students opportunity to gain practical experience through student work contracts, thesis projects, and mandatory internships.
• die zugvögelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPersonnel service provider for railway personnel founded 2018 in Braunschweig, employing 45 train drivers. Portfolio includes temporary employment, training, and examination of railway operating personnel. Approved by EBA as training and examination organization per TfV.
• HolsteinbahnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining services provider including train operations training, modern e-learning materials for railway personnel, professional development courses, new vehicle type training, trainer training, outdoor team training, and German as Second Language courses with railway focus.
• RAIL INSPECTIONminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndividual consultant Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Jens Bertrand provides expert railway services with over 30 years of experience, offering broad expertise and extensive industry network.
• mevisominorOthersDigital agency with headquarters in Wolfenbüttel and Braunschweig developing high-quality websites, website optimization, and online marketing services. Responsible for IGT's online presence.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bureau Veritas Rail: Bureau Veritas operates a global rail TIC business covering rolling stock, signaling, and infrastructure assessment, including independent safety assessment under EU regulations. It is a comparable NoBo/DeBo/AsBo competitor in the European rail certification market.
• DEKRA Rail: DEKRA's rail division provides testing, inspection, and certification services for rail vehicles, infrastructure, and operations, with NoBo/DeBo/AsBo capabilities. It is one of the larger European rail TIC providers competing for the same regulatory-mandated assessment work as IGT.
• TÜV SÜD Rail: TÜV SÜD operates a global rail testing, inspection, and certification business including NoBo/DeBo/AsBo services, rolling stock assessment, and infrastructure certification. It is a much larger broad incumbent that overlaps directly with IGT's Prüfstelle and Inspektionsstelle offerings.
• TÜV Rheinland Rail Technologies: TÜV Rheinland provides rail vehicle testing, certification, and safety assessment services across Europe and globally, including AsBo and NoBo functions. It competes with IGT for independent assessment and testing mandates from major vehicle manufacturers and operators.
• DNV (Rail Advisory): DNV provides rail assurance, testing, and advisory services globally, including independent safety assessment and asset integrity work. It overlaps with IGT's testing and assessment services at a much larger international scale.

Direct peers

• Certifer: Certifer is a European rail assessment and certification body providing NoBo, DeBo, and AsBo services, with a strong focus on cross-border vehicle authorization under EU regulations. It is one of the most direct independent assessment body peers to IGT's Inspektionsstelle.
• Eisenbahn-Cert (EBC): EBC is a German rail certification body providing NoBo, DeBo, and AsBo services for rolling stock and infrastructure. It is a direct domestic peer to IGT for vehicle authorization and risk assessment mandates.
• Ricardo Rail: Ricardo Rail provides independent safety assessment, engineering, and asset management services for rolling stock, signaling, and infrastructure in Europe. It is a direct peer to IGT's combined assessment and engineering service offering.

Emerging players

• LogoMotive GmbH: LogoMotive is a German rail engineering firm specializing in mechanical system analysis, vehicle-track interaction, and safety case development. It is a co-founder of the rail³ joint venture with IGT and Rörden, making it a partner-and-overlap peer in vehicle safety assessment.

Others

• Eisenbahnbundesamt (EBA): Germany's federal railway regulator, the body that grants IGT its AsBo and §14 TfV recognitions. Included as an ecosystem reference, not a competitor; the EBA's recognition framework defines IGT's addressable service categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance15 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 IGT