What is Dellner and what do you do?
Dellner is one of the world's leading suppliers of subsystems for trains, such as train couplings and gangways. Our headquarters have been located in Falun, Sweden since our founding in 1941. Dellner has 21 subsidiaries worldwide and employs over 1000 people. Dellner Dampers, a subsidiary of Dellner, also develops and manufactures dampers and buffers for trains and other applications.
We have many years of experience and expertise in developing, manufacturing safe and reliable systems within our product portfolio, as well as maintaining and modernizing to ensure a long service life.
What is the reason for Dellner's participation in the Train & Rail exhibition in April?
The main goal of Train & Rail is in line with our sustainable strategic goals. The interest in sustainable rail-based transportation is extremely high, and the industry is continuously developing in this direction. It is very important for the railway industry to meet and discuss possible solutions and conditions for further developing environmentally friendly and competitive railway transportation for an increased transfer from road to rail transportation.
Furthermore, our philosophy is to be close to our customers, and as a Swedish company, we place particular emphasis on relationships with industry colleagues and our customers from all Nordic countries. It will be an excellent opportunity to meet after a few years of closed borders and travel restrictions.
What are your goals and expectations for Train & Rail?
Our main objective is to meet both customers and other industry colleagues to discuss both our products and how we can work together for a more competitive and sustainable future in the railway segment, and conditions for driving a shift from road to rail transportation.
What is the most important question about the future of railways from your perspective, and how does your company work on this issue today?
Climate change is the most significant ecological, economic, and social challenge in the foreseeable future, and the railway is a strongly contributing factor to reducing the negative impact. At Dellner, we want to contribute our part, and we actively work with sustainability in both production and product development, which is measured by EcoVadis - the world's largest and most trusted provider of sustainability ratings for companies. By 2023, we have achieved a score of 61 out of 100, which means that Dellner is among the top 15% of companies in the railway industry that EcoVadis evaluates.
The other sustainability area we are driving in is the EU RAIL program FP5TRANS4M-R, where we, as one of the consortium members, are developing DAC (Digital Automatic Couplers) for the freight segment. DAC is a factor for continued digitalization, improved efficiency, and more environmentally friendly freight train transport. This EU program creates conditions and supports the ambitious and necessary change of the European freight transport on railways and the conditions for moving transport from roads to more environmentally friendly rail transport, thereby reducing environmentally harmful emissions.
What can colleagues and decision-makers in the industry contribute to meet requirements, economic frameworks, and international climate goals for the future of railways?
All companies should prioritize sustainability, and they should also commit to scientifically based environmental goals to measure and prevent the effects of climate change.
In the railway industry, we should develop operational and regulatory frameworks that incentivize and support the transition to more sustainable transport modes. This includes developing technology and infrastructure to support electrification, implementing energy-efficient practices, promoting intermodal transport, and investing in innovative solutions that reduce environmental impact. Collaboration between companies, governments, and industry organizations is crucial to achieve these goals.