SPAIN: The freight business of national operator RENFE is aiming to move into profit within three years under its 2017-19 management plan. This is in order to ensure a sustainable future after several years of losses which have resulted in a major deficit.
Development of international traffic will be a priority under the new commercial strategy for RENFE Mercancías.
To enable the business to compete more effectively in a liberalised freight market, RENFE is looking to cut staff numbers and reduce the size of the rolling stock fleet. Accompanied by clearer definition of responsibilities and ‘a real improvement in productivity’, the number of employees would be reduced from the current 1 300 through voluntary redundancy or transfer to other RENFE companies.
As the rolling stock fleet is tailored to meet the real needs of the business, the number of locomotives is to be reduced from 319 to 253, with surplus traction transferred to RENFE’s rolling stock leasing business or sold to external companies. A similar programme would see the size of the wagon fleet reduced.
