TFG Transfracht

There will be two main influencers on international trade this coming year: the economy and the environment. Companies in leadership positions in the industry have an obligation to serve as an example for all others. While the economy will cause all business to experience lower overall growth, we remain optimistic that as globalization continues — after a brief respite — we must stay prepared for the future. Intermodal rail carriers must continue to improve infrastructure and move aggressively into new markets despite the fact that trade has slowed. There is no question that it will come back stronger and the expectations that facilities and services will be available will be great. Europe’s intermodalism has only tasted the growing appetite in central and eastern Europe markets and that will keep our vital industry strong. Railroads have been committed to being ecologically friendly. On the whole, rail is good for the environment because it takes trucks off the roads, reducing congestion as well as carbon dioxide in the air. According to a study of 2007 statistics, when some 600,000 truck transports were shifted off the road onto rails, it cut down on more than 360,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year. Taking those container movements off the Autobahn and other roadways amounts to a serious commitment to better air quality — a commitment that should become an integral part of all marketing efforts in this green world.