VTG’s entry into UK coal market secured as new hoppers go on the move in Nottinghamshire

Major milestone for wagon provider reached as first 20 of 89 coal wagons enter service for First GBRf

Birmingham, 10 June 2009. Twenty brand new Fabfnoos (old UK carkind HYA) coal hoppers provided by VTG Rail UK, a subsidiary of VTG Aktiengesellschaft (SCN: VTG999), to freight operators First GBRf have entered service on Friday 5 June 2009, from the Shirebrook works of British wagon builders WH Davis.

The wagons, which are part of an 89 vehicle deal, represent a major milestone for VTG Rail UK as it is the first time the leasing company has provided coal wagons to a UK customer, marking its successful entry into this buoyant UK market.

Capable of operating at speeds of up to 75mph, the high capacity wagons can carry payloads of more than 74 tonnes, putting them at the very forefront of coal wagon efficiency.

Rob Brook, Managing Director of VTG Rail UK said: “As the UK's largest private wagon hire company we are always looking at opportunities to further expand our business and as such we are delighted to be working with First GBRf as we take our first steps in the coal sector. We have been providing innovative and bespoke vehicle packages for the movement of many different types of materials, from cement to petroleum, for many years and we are confident that our new coal wagons, which are the most efficient design in the marketplace, will allow us to extend our reputation for first class customer service and technical ability into a new market.”

Having passed final testing at the manufacturers, the wagons, which carry both the VTG and First GBRf liveries, travelled straight to collieries in north Nottinghamshire to immediately start work transporting extra volumes of coal to power stations in the Trent Valley for EDF Energy.

The remaining 69 wagons will be introduced into service in batches of ten over the next few months until the planned completion date in October 2009.

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Notes to editors:

About VTG:
VTG Aktiengesellschaft is one of Europe’s leading wagon hire and rail logistics companies. The company has the largest private wagon fleet in Europe. Globally the fleet consists of about 50,000 rail freight cars with a focus on tank cars and state of the art high capacity freight cars and flat cars. In addition to the hiring of wagons, the Group offers global tank container transport and comprehensive multi-modal logistics services mainly around rail transport.

With the combination of its three interrelated divisions Wagon Hire, Rail Logistics and Tank Container Logistics VTG offers its clients a high-performance platform for international transport of their freight. The Group has many years of experience and specific know-how in particular in the transport of liquid and sensitive goods. Its customers include numerous well-known companies from almost all industrial sectors such as, for example, chemicals, mineral oil, the automobile or paper industries.

In the financial year 2008 VTG generated operating revenues of EUR 608.7 million and an operating result (EBITDA) of EUR 156.4 million. Via its subsidiaries and affiliates the company, which has its head office in Hamburg, is mainly present in Europe, Asia and North America. As at 31 December 2008 VTG employed 1,004 employees worldwide in consolidated companies. Since June 2007 VTG AG has been listed on the official Prime Standard market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange – since September 2008 also on the SDAX (SCN: VTG999).

Press contact:
Andrea Geeson
Communications Manager
Telephone: 01444 473588
E-Mail: andrea@woodhousecommunications.co.uk
Website: www.vtg-rail.co.uk