Press release

Cargodrome - The First Integrated Intermodal Terminal & Logistics Centre Based on the Compactterminal

The construction of Cargodrome, a new intermodal terminal and logistics centre in Switzerland, with a fully functional transhipment terminal for combined transport rail – road and rail – rail, is now approaching completion.

The Cargodrome, located 35 km from Berne at Wiler bei Utzenstorf, is being built by Wiler Terminal & Logistics, a consortium of three companies, Dreier Ltd (a transport and logistics company), Wincanton Rhenania ROBA AG (the Swiss subsidiary of the Wincanton Group) and Regionalverkehr Mittelland AG (a private railway company).

The transhipment terminal, originally planned as a conventional terminal with gantry cranes, is now being built through project managers Intermodal Logistics using the Compactterminal technology from the company’s partner, Tuchschmid AG, based in Frauenfeld, Switzerland. Factors such as lower handling costs, greater handling capacity and faster transhipment times influenced the consortium to build a Compactterminal at Cargodrome.

The terminal is being constructed in four phases:-

Phase 1 – The construction of the transhipment module of the Compactterminal and a 3,200sq m. break bulk warehouse and distribution centre. The transhipment module has a double girder bridge crane with a 33m span set high on an elevated steel crane track. The manned cab has a semi-automatic function for the crane and trolley movements. The telescopic twist-lock Spreader can handle ISO containers of 20’ to 40’ as well as 45’ containers using the 40’ setting. With the grab arms integrated in the Spreader, swap bodies and trailers with lengths up to 13.6m can also be handled. The rotating trolley brings each container into its correct position for truck or train transhipment. With the infinitely variable drive of the Compactterminal, the crane driver can achieve high quality movements and high output with low energy consumption. This first phase will commence operations in January 2004.

It will be followed by:

Phase 2 – Implementation of the short term storage module of the Compactterminal to move the break bulk containers and swap bodies between the overhead crane and the warehouse, and loaded units in and out of temporary storage using AGVs (automatic guided vehicles).

Phase 3 – The addition of a second overhead crane.

Phase 4 – The addition of the road module of the Compactterminal. This will be equipped with a short run overhead crane and will separate the majority of direct road vehicle handling to or from rail as throughput increases. The AGVs will then move the load units between the transhipment and road modules and improve turn-round times for trucks and trains.
Derrick Stormink, Technical Director of Intermodal Logistics Ltd. commented: “The Cargodrome project will demonstrate the high performance, lean energy consumption and low operational cost of the Compactterminal and its ability to effectively integrate rail freight handling into a modern logistics centre. It should be of great interest to logistics service providers, property developers, ports and other intermodal terminal operators in the UK also.”

– ENDS –

For further information about Intermodal Logistics’ products and services, please go to www.intermodallogistics.co.uk or contact Derek Bliss
Tel: 01234 822821 or email: derekbliss@intermodallogistics.co.uk

Intermodal Logistics is jointly owned by Tuchschmid AG and directors of Compass Logistics, the UK transport and supply chain consultancy. The joint venture combines excellence in intermodal design and manufacture with practical operational and project management experience in supply chains.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Technical data - Compactterminal

The transhipment module consists of the following components:

Double-Box Beam bridge crane
Spreader
Electrical data
Elevated steel crane track

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