Swietelsky AG, one of Europe's leading construction companies in the field of rail infrastructure, announces the successful acquisition of 100% of the shares in the British Harry Needle Railroad Company Ltd (HNRC).
HNRC, founded in 1998, with its headquarters in Worksop and a further facility in Barrow Hill, is a renowned provider of maintenance, repair and rental services for locomotives and rail vehicles. The company operates a state-of-the-art multi-purpose rail services facility in Worksop, covering 14 hectares, and employs more than 30 people. In the 2023/2024 financial year, HNRC generated an operating performance of around 9 million euros.
With the acquisition, Swietelsky is expanding its portfolio in the UK to include key areas such as locomotive repairs, fleet management and rail vehicle storage. ‘This strategic step not only enables us to expand our market position in the area of operate and maintain contracts for Network Rail, but also to significantly increase our capacities for machine overhauls and future innovations such as the conversion of rail vehicles to European train control systems,’ explains Peter Krammer, CEO of Swietelsky AG.
With this acquisition, Swietelsky AG is underlining its commitment to providing innovative solutions for rail infrastructure and consistently expanding its position in Europe and the UK. ‘The synergies between our existing business areas and HNRC's expertise provide an excellent basis for sustainable growth and the development of new business areas,’ Krammer concludes.
Craig Goldie, Managing Director: Swietelsky Construction Ltd & HNRC Swietelsky said
“As you will know, our parent company has completed the purchase of the entire shareholding of HNRC Ltd.
We are proud to announce the team who will be leading this new venture:
- Craig Goldie – Managing Director: Providing strategic leadership to steer the company through this exciting phase of growth and integration
- Alex Cox – Financial & Commercial Director: Providing strategic commercial and financial leadership
- Daniel Ryder - Head of Rail Services: Responsible for the day-to-day delivery of the Rail Services Business, dealing with new and existing customer interfaces
- Calum Oates - Director of Safety, Standards & Engineering: Upholding our commitment to the highest safety and engineering standards, ensuring that all projects are executed with precision and care.
- Neil Smith - Head of Development: Embedding the processes and procedures of Swietelsky’s engineering, Health and Safety Management, etc.
- Emma Martin – HR Business Partner: Establishing and implementing Swietelsky’s people processes and procedures
Harry Needle - Asset Manager: Taking on a new role in asset management, bringing deep industry insight and management of the current assets
Together, we are laying the foundation for a brighter future, focusing on innovation, safety, and excellence across all aspects of railway infrastructure. This acquisition enables us to expand our offerings and enhance our ability to deliver the highest standards of service to our clients. Here's to an exciting new chapter for HNRC Swietelsky – the future of rail is looking brighter than ever!”
Image credit: Swietelsky AG
