Monthly Highlight: Switzerland

Even before the merger to form the Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group and the go-ahead for a joint future in 2012, with which the Rhomberg Rail Holding and the Sersa Group set the course for Europe's most comprehensive railway technology company, the Sersa Group (Sersa Group AG (Switzerland), Sersa Maschineller Gleisbau AG and Sersa Technik AG) had subsidiaries in Germany, the Netherlands, the UK and Canada.

Today, Sersa Schweiz is part of the globally active Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group. The merger has since strengthened both partners and was more or less the logical consequence in view of synergy effects: Today, the Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group, as a full-service provider of railway technology, offers an almost comprehensive range of services in the areas of railway infrastructure, equipment and service with Building Information Modelling (BIM) - in an international comparison probably unique in terms of scope and quality.

Sersa is the partner of choice in the Swiss market when it comes to establishing rail as the mobility solution of the future. In harmony with its customers, Sersa operates reliably, sustainably and close to people and nature, and is constantly creating more efficient, safer and more attractive railway infrastructures.

• 1200 employees across Switzerland
• 15 locations throughout Switzerland
• Operating performance of around MCHF 250
• Swiss Employer Award 2021 as "Top Employer", awarded by the Swiss Employers' Association
• EcoVadis Silver-Status
• Numerous EN, ISO, WPK EN, ECM and QM certificates

• Innovations
  2.25 % of turnover is reinvested in innovations.
• Employees
  With appreciative leadership, potential-oriented challenge and individual support to high performance.
• Machines
  7 - 8 % of turnover is reinvested in machinery and technology.

• Ecological: Closing resource cycles, increasing energy efficiency, promoting climate protection, EnergyCockpit, Climate Neutrality Alliance, Clean Advantage, Plant my Tree Partner.
• Social: Occupational health and safety, training and development, transparency and participation, Brain Train, Leadership Academy, MyNet (Intranet).
• Economic: High cost awareness, commitment to innovation and technology, ethical business practices (compliance), long-term strategies for healthy growth.

• Track renewal and reconstruction in all gauges incl. track civil engineering
• Total renewal of turnouts and turnout conversion
• Ballasting, ballast replacement, ballast cleaning and substructure rehabilitation
• Tamping, levelling and compacting
• Milling of drainage grooves
• Track and turnout maintenance
• Screw Hole Renovation SLS ®
• Slab Track
• Tunnel Rehabilitation
•  Catenary and cable construction, site lighting
• Exterior signalling and warning systems
• Rail welding and grinding (incl. robot welding)
• SERSTAR- flash-butt welding system
• Building Information Modeling (BIM) – services
• NXRT: Simulation solutions in the area of train drivers and safety personnel
• Diagnostics, track surveying, measuring systems
• RU Railway Undertaking
• Hire of locomotives, infrastructure vehicles, special wagons and two-way machines
• Skilled logistics personnel, security services and provision of rail maintenance staff
• Crane and lifting services
• Maintenance of infrastructure vehicles
• Trade products railway technology

Since 2016 and until summer 2023, the Schweizerische Bundesbahnen (SBB) have been building the "Entflechtung Wylerfeld" on the eastern approach line to Bern station. It is a key project for more connections and punctuality in the Bern region and throughout Switzerland. The joint venture RSRG Wylerfeld (Sersa Group AG (Switzerland), Sersa Technik AG, Sersa Maschineller Gleisbau AG and Rhomberg Bahntechnik AG) is committed to this project on behalf of SBB and is successfully implementing the comprehensive renovations on schedule, smoothly and safely. The works include:

• Construction schedule planning incl. coordination with SBB specialist services and various contractors
• Building Information Modeling (BIM)
• Track surveying
• Track and turnout construction in ballast
• Stress equalisation and rail welding
• Cable engineering
• Safety systems/exterior systems
• Railway safety
• Rail logistics in own responsibility as a rail transport company RU

The special challenges of this project, which is being realised under full railway operation, include the conversion and expansion only possible in stages in night shifts, total closures of individual construction sites, in part as island construction sites, as well as intensive construction phases in weekend closures. In addition, the demanding rail logistics for the delivery and removal of materials and machinery can only be carried out at night via the Ostermundigen and Zollikofen stations. The work has so far proceeded to the satisfaction of the client.

The project is currently reaching the closing stages. The client has brought forward the commissioning of the new facility to the summer of 2023, as further extensive railway projects are planned in the Bern area, which Sersa Switzerland is of course striving to successfully acquire. This shortening of the construction period has placed great demands on Sersa over the last 1,5 years. So far, all deadlines have however been met.

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* ) The promotion period lasts from 01.01.2022 to 31.12.2022. In the spirit of sustainability, we will plant a tree for the first 1000 new newsletter subscribers who have subscribed to our newsletter for at least three months. The promotion is only valid once for each subscriber and not available to Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group employees.