Always setting the right course
Interview with Marc Williges, Managing Director of On track GmbH
Eco-friendly, safe, future-oriented – by 2030, freight transportation is to be consistently expanded. 25% of goods transport should then take place by rail; this is stipulated in the coalition agreement. For On track GmbH from Krefeld, this is a positive signal. The company is active in the field of mobile maintenance of rail vehicles and thus depends on a functioning track system.
"On track GmbH is somewhat like the ADAC on the rails," summarizes managing director Marc Williges about the company's core competency. His father founded On track in 2001, secured a major rail transport company as a client and always knew how to interpret the signs of the times correctly – the initial major client remains a key customer to this day. "When the EU regulation 445/2011 came into effect in 2011, we immediately adjusted to it, thereby enabling further steps for growth," says Marc Williges. "It was an important gateway for development."
A holistic approach
Today, On track has 30 employees and operates in the DACH region and the Netherlands. Since 2020, the company also offers stationary maintenance services for rail vehicles; a workshop in Bremerhaven is available for this purpose. "Our claim is to provide comprehensive maintenance services," emphasizes Marc Williges. "We want vehicles to remain in a safe operational condition, meaning, we focus on a preventative approach, preferring to prevent damages rather than fixing them."
Avoid rather than fix
With this approach, On track has not only made a name for itself in the industry, it is an important unique selling proposition. Thanks to competent employees, primarily industrial mechanics and locksmiths, who are internally trained for six months, the company offers sophisticated services with three main themes – the availability of entire wagon fleets according to the holistic concept, stationary maintenance in Bremerhaven, and classic demand-based repairs under framework contracts.
Ecologically and Economically Sustainable
In the future, On track plans to continue growing in quality and geography; the first steps have already been taken. To handle contracts in Switzerland optimally, an opening of a branch office in Switzerland is planned for early 2025. "We want to act as a leading provider in the industry for mobile maintenance," says Marc Williges. "In doing so, we benefit from being part of the Swiss TEX Holding, which focuses on railway-related services and is a strong partner in the background. It is crucial to grow healthily and sustainably while fulfilling our societal and social responsibilities."