It must be acceptable costs for shippers

Pierre Blayau, who gave a global dimension to Geodis, and now directs the transportation industry and logistics of the SNCF (Geodis, SNCF freight, transportation and logistics partners), displays a European ambition for rail freight. "The SNCF is part with a delay on the Deutsche Bahn train." "It speeds up to catch her," observes Yves Crozet of the laboratory of transport economics. "We seek to develop by extending our geographic space and knell activity and the railway market SNCF freight", confirms Pierre Blayau.

Deutsche Bahn has been established in 2007 in France via Euro Cargo Rail (RCT). As of 2008, the SNCF responded by taking control of Import Transport Logistik (ITL) in Germany in 2008, brings him an opening on East-West flows. Through this subsidiary, as with the SFB (SNCF Freight Benelux) in Belgium, the SNCF is given a start of Europe-wide. Pierre Blayau promises that is only a step: "there will be other acquisitions in Germany, a partnership in Switzerland and perhaps a Italy operation.". One of the objectives of European enlargement is "position on North-South, the most dynamic flows despite the crisis." Where the discussions initiated with the SBB Cargo Switzerland and German and Italian subsidiaries SBB Cargo.

Squaring the circle

In a European vision, Pierre Blayau said very interested in a project he called "ambitious": from Carex cargo high-speed network to the study of which it is associated. "This project has a lot of sense and match the know-how of the SNCF in high speed and expertise in goods."

Remains out of squaring the circle in France, where cargo SNCF losses will exceed the 430 million euros in 2009. "We have no visibility on a return to balance that can be analyzed that by looking at the products portfolio (complete trains, wagonloads...). "and its relevance to the shippers", he said stressing that the SNCF freight activity "suffering at levels higher than the road costs." "It must be acceptable costs for shippers". In fact, providers and shippers protested. For Gilles Moutel, for example, General Manager of Heppner, "suggests that the road can switch to the rail in the announced proportions by the Grenelle of the environment is the great illusion and collective fantasy." Christian Rose, Associate General Deputy of the Association of users of cargo (AUTF), adds: "SNCF freight must earn 30 productivity if it wants to put its competitors height."

To get away from this, Pierre Blayau is considering several solutions, including "a more efficient work organisation" using the derogations of the labour legislation (derogatory and provisional working time adjustments related to the performance of a contract). Another solution is the development of subsidiaries of traction, which benefit from a cheaper and more flexible work organisation. In the first rank of which in France, VFLI, which is not public but private law related to the collective agreement of UTP (Union of public transport) company. On massive trains, its prices are competitive with those of Veolia and RCTs, VFLI "sign from month to month of important contracts", even if its turnover is less than EUR 100 million. "Despite the failure of negotiations with drivers, the question of SNCF freight will back out the window." "Over the crisis of the traffic will be heavy, more pressure on trade unions will become strong," prognostic an observer.

At the heart of the SNCF freight problem, is "isolated car" (70 of its activity). His teams launched a few months ago the Swing project in an attempt to redress this super-déficitaire activity. "But this project is biased by the crisis." Since the beginning of 2009, its activity has dropped 20 to 30. "In this activity where point died and charges fixed are high, if the recovery is slower that we hope we will be in trouble."

However each kilometre of isolated car, charged at the price of road mail delivery, is losing money. Unless, as requested by Pierre Blayau, "meeting citizen interest and a requirement of sustainable development, the isolated car can be regarded as non-market, general interest, rather than a merchant product". According to him, the fact that RCTs and Veolia, subject to constraints of performance in the short term, focus on the massive train "is a demonstration upside that isolated car cannot be resolved to the single equation of the price paid and the cost to the SNCF".

For observers, the SNCF has no choice. "His fate has become a political issue hard." "The State shareholder to say clearly what he meant to do: subsidize the isolated car or the close", launches Christian Rose, the AUTF. Yves Crozet, who made the same analysis, States that "after aid granted previously to the cargo plan Véron, the European Commission said that it would be the last time". He added: "the disappearance of the isolated car would lead to a modal report backwards."