France Supply Chain and Argon & Co. have published case studies from three manufacturers on the conditions for a successful shift to rail transport

Railways aren't something you just order—they're built through collaboration

Experience has shown that shifting freight volumes from road to rail cannot be achieved solely through a traditional transportation RFP process. The project initially brought together five major manufacturers, leading three of them —Legrand, Michelin, and Renault—to launch joint European calls for proposals. This request for proposal (RFP) generated far fewer bids than expected, with only one bid meeting the stated requirements out of the 12 carriers that were solicited.

So, how can we shift from a buyer-supplier model to a co-development model?

The initiative’s stakeholders therefore recommend involving rail operators in the process as early as possible. Launching a new service requires verifying the availability of train paths, terminals, equipment, and rolling stock; developing a business model; and estimating volume projections. For the operator, the feasibility study itself represents an investment, even though future volumes are not necessarily guaranteed.

“Rail must become a simple alternative to road transport. But precisely because of that, it cannot be treated as just another alternative: the way it operates is fundamentally different. To create new rail services, shippers and operators must work together to develop a viable solution, even before the request for proposals is issued, ” explains Aurélie Delemarle, senior manager and head of innovation at Argon&Co and leader of the initiative for the fund.

A unique contribution and insights for the deployment of rail transport

This experiment made it possible to document the actual conditions under which rail pooling among shippers can be implemented and to highlight the discrepancies

between the initial ambition and the market’s current maturity. So far, it has not resulted in a contract with a rail operator, as not all the necessary conditions have been met.

“This project allowed us to test the proposed model against market realities; we now understand the conditions that must be met for a future initiative to go further: volume commitments, corridor qualification, dialogue with operators, adaptation of requirements, and collective governance,” reports Philippe Bastard, Vice President – Supply Chain at LEGRAND

The lessons learned report sets out several concrete recommendations for stakeholders wishing to undertake a similar initiative:

• Start with the routes that interest the carriers before reaching out to the shippers.

• Require shippers to commit to minimum volumes over a significant period (at least 3 years) before issuing a request for proposals.

• Build an ongoing relationship with carriers, rather than reaching out to them only during formal phases.

• Adopt a co-development approach, particularly for corridors that require the creation of new services.

An initiative set to continue

Since January 2025, France Supply Chain by Aslog’s public interest activities have been supported by the SUPPLY CHAIN 4 GOOD endowment fund, which aims, in particular, to expand initiatives promoting the decarbonization and sustainability of supply chains.

As part of the Modal Shift Initiative, the fund acted as a facilitator for shippers. Argon & Co, an international management consulting firm specializing in strategy and operational transformation, served as coordinator and trusted third party through a pro bono arrangement, without having any decision-making authority over the shippers’ choices.

With this publication, SUPPLY CHAIN 4 GOOD aims to share the lessons learned from a pioneering initiative with the entire ecosystem and contribute to the development of new modal shift initiatives. Rail must become a credible option for freight transport in Europe. To achieve this, stakeholders now have concrete insights into the obstacles that need to be overcome and the conditions that must be met.

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