Research and Development

Vossloh is a technological leader in the rail infrastructure segments in which it operates. Innovation is a crucial component of the company’s technological competitiveness. Vossloh’s products and services are subject to detailed technical specifications and standards that must be met in order to ensure safety. Before products and services for railway infrastructure are ready for the market, they usually undergo several years of (further) development and testing, in addition to complex approval procedures by independent testing institutions. Research and development projects at Vossloh are, therefore, usually scheduled to run for several years.

In order to permanently meet the specific expectations of customers in the individual market regions and to further strengthen its own competitive position, Vossloh is constantly investing in the further development and optimization of its products and services with structured innovation management. The group-wide innovation guidelines (Innovation Playbook) adopted in 2021 define principles and procedures. Vossloh intends to increase collaboration across business units to develop new products, services and business models and ensure that customers and suppliers – with their specific expertise – are involved more closely in research and development processes. After reviewing its production processes over recent years, the company is now implementing a range of measures which will provide ongoing efficiency gains, including modernization, increased automation and specialization.

One focus of innovation at Vossloh is digitalization as the link between hardware and services. The company uses specialized sensor systems to compile data on track condition and the loads within the track as well as on the condition of rail vehicles. Among other things, this data can be used to gain knowledge about the degree of wear and damage to track components. This knowledge can be used to determine which maintenance strategies are most appropriate to use and when. Artificial intelligence also plays an important role in this context. It makes wear patterns visible, allowing failures of track components to be anticipated and avoided through planned maintenance measures. Vossloh uses its systemic understanding of the track to meet the core customer requirement – increasing the availability of the rail track – and develops holistic solutions in cooperation with all business units. Under the guiding principle of “enabling green mobility”, these ensure that the rail infrastructure is more robust and resilient and that track availability is increased, even though the demands on the rail network are constantly increasing.

Core Components

In 2025, the R&D experts in the Fastening Systems business unit of the Core Components division focused, among other things, on developing the new M-generation of tension clamps. The focus was on performance (for use on heavily stressed lines), service life, and sustainability. Sustainability aspects were at the forefront of the new development and further development of plastic components, in particular, the reduction of CO2 and material efficiency. An additional focus involved developing a sustainable material mix for a sleeper pad with a low ecological footprint, also in terms of the manufacturing process, which increases track stability, thereby helping to optimize the life-cycle costs (LCC) of the track system. In the Tie Technologies business unit, during the reporting year, the R&D departments continued to work on changes to the composition of concrete for railroad ties that reduce material and energy consumption. In Australia, Vossloh launched its first product with a significantly improved carbon footprint. In North America, a railway operator has installed test ties that contain devices for monitoring the condition of the ties. The objective is to tamp the track bed according to demand rather than according to predetermined deadlines. Thanks to Sateba, the division is also strengthening its innovative capabilities in the field of low-carbon concrete ties and continuing to advance the process of decarbonizing the rail network. In addition, the ECOTRACK system helps conserve resources over the entire life cycle by reusing and recycling components.

Customized Modules

In the Customized Modules division, R&D specialists focused on life cycle cost analyses and recycling and reusing turnout components. There were premieres in both areas in 2025: Using this approach, Vossloh has created a life cycle model for a complete tram network for the first time and can now offer a wide range of products that have an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). The first customer to commit to a fully circular economy for turnout procurement from 2026 onwards has been secured: All dismantled turnout crossings are recycled, and Vossloh supplies manganese crossings that consist of up to 90 % recycled material. The company is aligning its manufacturing processes more strongly with the circular economy for this purpose. The existing methods and models for inspecting and monitoring turnouts on the track have been improved with the help of new software. In general, advancing digitalization was an important R&D topic throughout the division. It is for this reason that Building Information Modeling (BIM), which integrates energy efficiency, CO2 balance and operating costs into the development models, is playing an increasingly important role, both in internal processes and in collaboration with customers.

Lifecycle Solutions

In the Lifecycle Solutions division, (further) development work focuses on machines for both rail processing and onboard measuring systems for even more comprehensive condition monitoring of rail lines and software for evaluating and displaying the overall data (smart maintenance). In 2025, the control, sensor and measurement technology of various grinding and milling vehicles was also adapted in line with customer requirements. At HSG-next, the improved version of the successful high-speed grinding train, the R&D in the divisions focus is on both optimizing the grinding units, and making changes to the design to achieve a significant weight reduction in the future. The adaptation of the HSG-city to other track gauges is intended to expand the range of applications of the urban rail grinding machine. The engineers have developed an inspection head carrier vehicle that can be attached to trains and records data on the condition of the rails while the train is moving. In the welding plant, a safety system was successfully tested that protects employees from falling off rail stacks. A patent application has been filed.

Detailed information on Research & development here. PDF

(18/03/2026)

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