Vossloh CEO Oliver Schuster comments on the German government’s infrastructure plan
Vossloh CEO Oliver Schuster has called on German policymakers to create better conditions for the rail sector. In an interview with the German newspaper Süderländer Volksfreund, Schuster said that making rail transportation more reliable would require long-term funding commitments for infrastructure. He described the German government’s infrastructure plan, known as the “Infraplan” and presented in October, as “a major step in the right direction.”
For the first time, the Infraplan outlines the planned work on Germany’s rail infrastructure through 2030. The next step, Schuster said, is to secure the necessary funding, particularly to give the industry the planning certainty it needs. “Companies like ours invest in production facilities, machinery, technology, and skilled workers over many years. To make these investments, we need a reliable long-term outlook that is not called into question every year by budgetary constraints.”
Schuster pointed to Sweden as a positive example. The country has a 12-year infrastructure plan and a system of close, structured cooperation among infrastructure managers, rail operators, construction companies, and the rail industry. “There are three things in particular we can learn from Sweden,” Schuster said. “Plan for the long term, ensure reliable funding, and engage in dialogue early on.”
Against this backdrop, Vossloh built a new turnout production facility in Sweden, which opened earlier this year. “This investment was possible because we had a stable long-term planning horizon,” Schuster said. “That is exactly the kind of reliability we need in Germany as well.”
The full interview is available here (in German; free registration required): Vossloh-Chef fordert: „Wir brauchen eine verlässliche Perspektive“