„I joined TRANSWAGGON in 1993 as a salesperson through a former sister company of Railship. Railship was not a family business, but culturally and with regard to the Hanseatic mentality, the companies were very similar. The Hanseatic concept of "merchant’s honour“ may be a somewhat antiquated idea, but it is still deeply rooted in the forwarding and logistics industry today – as a synonym for the fact that promises are made and kept based on a handshake. We are trying to keep this idea alive in today’s business world, even if much of it has become more anonymous due to tender management in sale and purchase models.

After my time as a salesperson at TRANSWAGGON, in 2007 I had the opportunity to take over sales responsibilities in the Hamburg office. In 2016, I succeeded our Managing Director Peter Studer, who I might call my mentor. All these years have been shaped by many cycles of change, which will certainly continue to be true in the future. As a group, we have always approached these changes with agility and flexibility. Luckily, TRANSWAGGON is anything but a tanker. When it comes to decisions, we’re a speedboat. Our flat hierarchies and direct communication between the offices allow us to react very quickly to market developments and customer requirements. We can quickly implement new use and business cases, not only in Germany, but throughout Europe.

It is also very important to us to maintain strategic partnerships with our customers, freight forwarding partners and rail service providers. In many cases, these partnerships have lasted for decades. Guiding principles such as „ Nothing is more permanent than change“ and „You always meet twice in life“ may sound outdated to members of Gen Z – for us, they remain important even after 60 years of TRANSWAGGON.“

„I am still relatively new in my role as Managing Director of TRANSWAGGON AB, the Swedish branch of the TRANSWAGGON Group. But I have already experienced a third of the company’s history: 20 years. My journey began in 2005 with a temporary position at the Dispatch & Planning department. At the time, I had no specific plans to stay with the company for long. On the one hand because of the short-term nature of the position, and on the other hand because I actually wanted to pursue a career in accounting and economics. Fortunately, it didn’t come to that. Instead, I got a permanent job at TRANSWAGGON and moved into sales shortly thereafter. In 2012, I became Head of Sales in Helsingborg, and in 2022, I took the next step to become Managing Director.

Looking back, I think there are several reasons why I deviated from my original plan and stayed with TRANSWAGGON for such a long time. Firstly, TRANSWAGGON still has the atmosphere of a small family business. Colleagues feel like friends or even like an extended family – and besides me, many others also consider the company to be their ”second family”. In addition, the variety of daily challenges and tasks, which means that no two days are the same, makes the company and the work interesting. What I also very much appreciate: at TRANSWAGGON, our aim is to build long-term partnerships and collaborations with customers and suppliers.

A personal highlight in my 20 years at TRANSWAGGON was the development of a very special logistical wagon system for a customer in Sweden. We have been continuously developing this system for over 20 years and adapting it to new market situations in close cooperation with the customer. I even have the feeling that this system embodies the essence of what TRANSWAGGON stands for: flexibility, partnership and trust.”

„Although my tenure with the company is relatively young – I joined just 15 months ago – I felt welcome in the TRANSWAGGON family from the very beginning. I am very grateful to be part of this remarkable organisation. The onboarding period flew by, filled with the excitement and challenges of operating in an extremely volatile market. The company’s unwavering commitment to repositioning itself and strengthening its market presence – including through a hub-and-spoke system – has been extremely motivating for me from the outset. I now have the privilege of experiencing and contributing to this development first hand.

My relationship with TRANSWAGGON goes back to 2006, when I first came to Italy as a key account manager for general cargo transports on behalf of Europe’s largest railway company. From the very beginning, I was deeply impressed by the way the TWA team in Milan, and not least Dr Andreas Nolte, always went out of their way to tailor solutions for their clients – always considering them as long-term partners and not just as a quick profit opportunity. In my opinion, this dedication to customer satisfaction and partnership is what has always set TWA apart in the industry.

What distinguishes TRANSWAGGON from other players in the railway business is its exceptional professionalism and profound commitment to quality. The company’s standards are second to none, and its reputation for excellence is well-deserved. These qualities have always impressed me and reinforced my decision to join TWA myself in October 2023. I am particularly proud of the fact that as of June 2025 I am the first woman in the company’s history to hold the position of managing director of a national branch. This is a milestone for me personally and also for TRANSWAGGON – further proof of the progressive and inclusive corporate culture.

I am honoured to be part of continuing TRANSWAGGON’s success story in the years to come. I am particularly looking forward to contributing to the development of our hub-and-spoke system across Europe. This will enable us to offer our current and future customers – including those without a direct rail connection – an environmentally friendly rail solution from door to door, while also optimising our fleet. In the near future, this project and the strengthening of TWA’s position as an important provider in the finished vehicle logistics sector will surely keep me busy and inspired.”

„In June 2025, I handed over my position as Managing Director of the Italian TRANSWAGGON subsidiary, which I have held since 1992, to my very experienced deputy, Magdalena Grząka. However, I will remain closely involved with TRANSWAGGON as a consultant. TRANSWAGGON has always preserved its character as a family business – with all the benefits this has for employees and customers alike. We at TRANSWAGGON are there for each other and for our customers thanks to our short decision paths, great flexibility and innovative solutions.

My time at TRANSWAGGON is also something of a family story. My father moved from Deutsche Bundesbahn to TRANSWAGGON in 1968, and I was already working regularly in the company while studying for my law degree. Udo-Wolfgang Benthin, the founder of the company, then took me on as a manager. TRANSWAGGON was my first and so far only employer – my second family, as it were. As Managing Director in Italy since the mid-1990s, I have been able to help develop our products and services. One such example was a multi-client train between Lucca and Chiasso that we configured entirely ourselves. Our ‘Lucca-Express’ still serves this route several times a week in both directions, including today. Even then, TRANSWAGGON was moving from simply leasing wagons to becoming a logistics company, progressing towards the hub-and-spoke models and door-to-door concepts of today.

Perhaps one of the particular highlights from the recent past was when we were able to facilitate a major Italian car haulage firm’s switch to sustainable rail transport – previously they had almost only ever gone by road. This automotive logistics provider has permanently leased several hundred wagons on a long-term contract. Another 100 completely new flat wagons will be utilised for this customer from 2026. Finding the optimal solution in close partnership with our customers – that’s what TRANSWAGGON has always been about.”