Dettmer Rail GmbH

What Dettmer Rail GmbH does

Dettmer Rail GmbH is a Hamburg-headquartered, privately-held rail freight logistics services provider and member of the Dettmer Group, founded in 2014. The company organizes block train services (12+ wagons with shared dispatch and reception points) and single wagon transportation across the European standard gauge network, with operations in Germany, the Netherlands, Hungary, Romania, Switzerland, and Poland. Its core customer base is industrial shippers in the oil, chemical, and gas sectors, including hazardous materials transport, with complementary services in coal logistics and intermodal road-to-rail shift. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified for logistics solutions in rail freight transport.

The company's technical differentiation centers on a fleet of 150 telematics-equipped Zacns 97.5 m3 tank wagons (delivered 2023 from Greenbrier, built in Arad, Romania) that enable real-time tracking and digitalization of rail freight operations via a web front-end. Service offerings include fleet management (administration, planning, and monitoring of wagon fleets with mobile maintenance coordination), supply chain management linking ship and rail transport modes at tank farm nodes, and an outsourcing model that delegates client logistics functions to Dettmer Rail. The company operates from three offices (Hamburg, Budapest, and a newly established Katowice hub via Dettmer Rail Polska Sp. z o.o., October 2024) and relies on partner traction providers (eccorail, EVB, UTL) and wagon suppliers (GATX, Greenbrier Leasing) for execution.

Dettmer Rail generates revenue through professional services for rail freight logistics with quote-based pricing. The go-to-market model is sales-led, targeting enterprise customers through direct relationships, industry networking, and partnerships, including cross-selling via sister companies in the Dettmer Group (Durmin, LS Cargo, MDU Nürnberg, MUT Tank Farm). The company is small (15 employees), privately held by the Dettmer Group, and has no external institutional investors or public listing.

Name

Dettmer Rail GmbH

Legal name

Dettmer Rail GmbH

Website

https://dettmer-rail.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dettmer Rail GmbH is a Hamburg-based rail freight logistics provider and member of the Dettmer Group, offering block train, single wagon, fleet management, and intermodal services for industrial customers in European oil, chemical, and gas sectors across six countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rail Freight Logistics Services

NAICS

Line-Haul Railroads (482111), Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Support Activities for Rail Transportation (488210)

SIC

Railroads, Line-Haul Operating (4011), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Unit Train & Dedicated Contract Rail Services (TLADACAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cross-Border Rail Freight Operators (International Corridors) (TLADACAL), Rail-Truck Transload Terminals (Inland) (TLALAFAJ)

Keywords

• Rail freight transport
• Block train services
• Single wagon transport
• Intermodal logistics
• Rail fleet management

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Rail Freight Logistics Services: Dettmer Rail generates revenue through providing comprehensive logistics solutions for block train and single wagon transport in European rail freight. Services include fleet management, supply chain management, and outsourcing models. The company works with rental wagons and coordinates railway undertakings.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Dettmer Rail GmbH provides rail freight logistics services across the European standard gauge network, including block train transportation (Ganzzug-Leistungen) for 12+ wagon groups, single wagon transportation (Einzelwagen-Verkehre) for smaller shipments, fleet management with telematics-equipped wagons, and supply chain management linking rail with ship transport modes. The company primarily serves industrial customers in the oil, chemical, and gas sectors and coordinates railway undertakings for cross-border transport.

Product overview

Dettmer Rail GmbH operates as a rail logistics company offering a comprehensive suite of rail freight services. The core portfolio consists of Ganzzug-Leistungen (block train services) for full trainloads and Einzelwagen-Verkehre (single wagon transportation) for smaller shipments. Supporting services include Flottenmanagement (fleet management) with damaged wagon handling and mobile maintenance coordination, Supply Chain Management linking ship and rail modes, and Outsourcing-Modell for delegated logistics operations. The company operates regional offices including Servicebüro Budapest and subsidiary Dettmer Rail Polska. Technology offerings include Telematik (telematics) for real-time wagon tracking. Sustainability services branded as Neue Energien/CO2 focus on energy efficiency and environmental impact reduction. The company operates primarily on the European standard gauge network connecting Germany with Netherlands, Hungary, Romania, Switzerland, Poland, and Baltic states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ganzzug-Leistungen (Block Train Services) Full trainload transportation services for wagon groups of 12 or more wagons with same dispatch and reception points, operating on European standard gauge network. Targeted at industrial customers with high-volume rail freight needs.
• Einzelwagen-Verkehre (Single Wagon Transportation) Single wagon transportation services for customers needing to ship smaller quantities without requiring a full block train, providing flexibility on European standard gauge routes.
• Flottenmanagement (Fleet Management) Administration, planning, control and monitoring of wagon fleets to ensure maximum utilization for renters, including damaged wagon management and mobile maintenance coordination. For wagon owners and rental customers seeking to optimize fleet performance.
• Supply Chain Management Links ship and rail transport modes through product handling at tank farms, connecting economic regions where one transport mode is less prevalent. For industrial customers requiring multi-modal logistics integration.
• Outsourcing-Modell (Outsourcing Model) Outsourcing solutions for logistics operations allowing companies to delegate rail freight management to Dettmer Rail. For customers seeking to externalize logistics operations.
• Neue Energien / CO2 (New Energies / CO2) Services focused on energy efficiency, CO2 reduction and sustainable rail transport including green energy usage and environmental impact tracking. For customers pursuing decarbonization and sustainability targets.
• Regular Intermodal Train Service (Nuremberg - BFT Terminal Horb) Regular intermodal rail-road transport service running two weekly trains between Nuremberg and BFT Terminal Horb using GATX intermodal wagons. Designed for customers seeking to shift freight from road to rail, reducing CO2 emissions by approximately 1500 tonnes annually and replacing 4000 truck journeys per year. Operated in cooperation with Durmin, MDU Nürnberg, and traction partner EVB.

Quantifiable outcome

• Two train trips per week can replace 4000 truck journeys annually, saving approximately 1500 tonnes CO2 per year
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 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

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Hamburger Rail Service GmbHmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2026Hamburger Rail Service GmbH cooperates with Dettmer Rail on locomotive deployment, including a EURO9000 locomotive for cross-border operations with Dettmer Rail branding.
• GATXmajorTechnology or Integration · 22 November 2024GATX provides intermodal wagons for Dettmer Rail's regular intermodal transport service, enabling road-to-rail shift with two weekly train trips.
• Durmin Entsorgung Und Logistik GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 November 2024Dettmer Rail collaborates with Durmin on intermodal transport of disposal materials, implementing regular rail services that shift freight from road to rail.
• BFT-Terminal HorbmajorTechnology or Integration · 22 November 2024BFT Terminal in Horb serves as the destination terminal for Dettmer Rail's intermodal train operations between Nuremberg and southern Germany.
• Durmin ('Die Grünen Engel')coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 May 2024Dettmer Rail collaborates with sister company Durmin on intermodal rail/road traffic shift projects. Together they work on transferring freight from road to rail, particularly for disposal materials transport.
• MDU NürnbergcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 May 2024Joint partnership with Dettmer Rail and Durmin on intermodal transport solutions, focusing on road-to-rail traffic shift projects in the Nuremberg region.
• EVB (Evb Eisenbahnen und Häfen)majorTechnology or Integration · 8 May 2024EVB provides traction services for Dettmer Rail's intermodal train operations, handling locomotive services between Nuremberg and BFT Terminal Horb.
• UTL (Unterelbseetrasse Logistik)majorTechnology or Integration · 8 May 2024UTL provides traction services for intermodal train operations, working together with EVB on Dettmer Rail's rail freight transport.
• Greenbrier LeasingmajorTechnology or Integration · 25 April 2023Greenbrier Leasing provides Zacns tank wagons (50 initial wagons received April 2023, 150 total ordered) for Dettmer Rail's fleet modernization.
• GATXmajorTechnology or Integration · 13 April 2022GATX is wagon owner involved in mobile repair training at GPS Terminal Amsterdam, working with Dettmer Rail on wagon maintenance.
• Varo EnergyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 April 2022Varo Energy is a wagon rental customer that participated in mobile repair training with Dettmer Rail at GPS Terminal Amsterdam.
• eccorail GmbHmajorTechnology or Integrationeccorail GmbH serves as the managing railway undertaking for Dettmer Rail's coal transport services, operating Euro Dual locomotives for routes including sections without overhead lines.
• LS CargocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLS Cargo, a sister company within the Dettmer Group, organized craneing of two locomotives onto an inland waterway vessel during emergency bridge closure, enabling rapid problem resolution.
• MUT Tank Farm MagdeburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMUT tank farm in Magdeburg, part of the Dettmer Group, serves as reception point for new Zacns wagons from Greenbrier Leasing and handles product storage.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TX Logistik: European rail freight forwarder and intermodal operator owned by Trenitalia, offering block train and single wagon services across Germany, Austria, Benelux and Eastern Europe. Most directly comparable to Dettmer Rail given similar European cross-border rail logistics model and presence in Central/Eastern European corridors.
• boxXpress.de: German private rail freight operator running intermodal container trains between major German and Benelux ports/terminals. Comparable as a smaller, specialized private rail operator competing against DB Cargo with a focused intermodal product.
• Lokomotion: German-Austrian private rail freight operator owned by Rail Cargo Group and Transdev, running cross-border block trains primarily between Germany, Austria, and Italy. Comparable as a mid-sized private rail operator focused on Alpine/Central European corridors with similar product mix.
• LTE (Rail Cargo Group): LTE is a European rail freight operator within Austria's Rail Cargo Group (ÖBB), active in Central and Eastern European corridors with block train, single wagon, and intermodal services. Directly comparable to Dettmer Rail on route geography (especially Austria/CEEC) and product mix.

Broad incumbents

• DB Cargo: Deutsche Bahn's freight rail subsidiary and Europe's largest rail freight operator with full national network coverage, block train, single wagon, and intermodal offerings. Broad incumbent competitor against Dettmer Rail across all service lines and a likely counterparty in interchange arrangements.
• Rail Cargo Group (ÖBB): Austrian Federal Railways' freight division operating comprehensive freight services across Central/Eastern Europe, with subsidiaries including LTE. Broad incumbent competitor and partner in the same CEEC corridor geography where Dettmer Rail is expanding.
• SBB Cargo: Swiss national rail freight operator with cross-border services into Germany, Italy, and Belgium via subsidiaries (SBB Cargo International, railCare). Broad incumbent in the same geographies Dettmer Rail serves (especially Germany–Switzerland axis).
• Captrain: European rail freight brand of SNCF Group operating in Germany, France, Benelux, Poland, and Iberia, offering block train, single wagon, and industrial logistics. Comparable as a multi-country European rail freight operator with similar B2B industrial customer focus.

Regional players

• PKP Cargo: Poland's national rail freight operator and one of the largest EU rail freight carriers, focused on Polish and CEEC traffic including cross-border services to Germany. Regional peer given overlapping Polish/CEEC corridor focus with Dettmer Rail's new Polish subsidiary.

Emerging players

• ITL Eisenbahngesellschaft: Mid-sized German private rail freight operator (part of the ITL Group) running single wagon, block train, and industrial railway services in Germany and neighboring countries. Emerging player peer with a comparable size profile and product mix to Dettmer Rail.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dettmer-rail-gmbh

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Dettmer Rail GmbH