05.02.2026

Industry Visit to RAIL.ONE in Schwandorf with Prof. Dr. Helen Rogers

On Thursday, 5 February, our group visited PCM RAIL.ONE AG, a leading international rail infrastructure company, at their Schwandorf facility. The visit was organized by Prof. Dr. Helen Rogers (Head of Bachelor International Business). At the Schwandorf facility, we were welcomed by Mr. Saurav Mittal (Director of Strategic Sales and New Projects), and Mr Markus Rossmann (Facility Manager) who gave us valuable insights into the company’s operations and strategic vision. RAIL.ONE works closely with Deutsche Bahn (DB) and specializes in the production of concrete sleepers, which form a critical part of railway tracks.

Foto: Fakultät BW (TH Nürnberg)

The highly automated and modern facility at Schwandorf is capable of producing sleepers in over 5,000 different models and has a production capacity of up to one million meters of track components per year. We also learned that railway sleepers have a lifespan of around 60 years, with 20–25% of materials being recyclable, highlighting the company’s focus on sustainability. The visit was rounded off with a tour of production and a Q&A discussion with Dr Ludwig Friedl (Chief Technology Officer, CTO) of PCM RAIL.ONE AG.

The visit offered a fascinating look into modern rail manufacturing and provided valuable exposure to real-world industrial innovation. Thank you all for the opportunity to see this hidden champion of the region.