The Innofreight WireStanchions system has been adopted to efficiently transport wire coils, a crucial component in steel production, facilitating more compact and secure loading on rail wagons. This new method allows for stacked loading, thereby increasing the payload capacity per wagon.
Compared to the traditional method of transporting wire coils in a single layer, which requires longer trains, the WireStanchions system enables each wagon to carry up to 40 to 50% more payload. A 2×45 ft InnoWaggon equipped with this system can transport up to 38 wire coil bundles, with a total payload of 141 tons.
Since August 2023, 15 2×45 ft InnoWaggons equipped with the WireStanchions system have been operational for inter-plant transportation by voestalpine. This project is estimated to replace approximately 2,000 truck transports annually. The rail route spans 770 km from the wire rod mill in St. Peter-Freienstein, Austria, to the wire drawing plant in Finsterwalde, Germany. This shift from road to rail transport is expected to reduce about 1,500 tons of CO₂ emissions annually.
The WireStanchions-equipped wagons have been noted for setting new standards in load securing, payload efficiency, and ease of manipulation of wire coil bundles. The transport operations are managed by DB Cargo.
The wire coils, weighing between 2 and 3.6 tons each, often require transportation between plants for further processing. The WireStanchions system, with its specialized stanchions and end walls, ensures optimal load security, eliminating the need for additional securing measures. This system also facilitates safe and quick unloading and reduces the amount of shunting required. The 15 InnoWaggons operate in wagon groups and offer adjustable configurations to suit varying transport needs. This transportation initiative by voestalpine and DB Cargo marks a notable enhancement in the efficiency of plant-to-plant logistics within the steel industry.
