Volvo Cars and Salzgitter have launched a closed-loop rail freight operation linking Sweden and Germany, with the first ScanLoop train arriving at Salzgitter in February 2026.
Under the ScanLoop concept, Salzgitter supplies flat steel to the Olofström plant, while steel scrap generated during stamping is segregated by material type, compressed to reduce transport volume, and shipped back by rail. This replaces empty return movements and keeps the material within a defined production cycle.
The first ScanLoop service comprised 25 scrap wagons with a total train length of 545 m, arriving at Beddingen station. The rail journey of around 700 km was completed in approximately one and a half days.
Rail freight is a central element of the project, with Salzgitter citing lower emissions compared with road transport. The service uses interoperable locomotives capable of high trailing loads and is operated with electricity certified as carbon-neutral for traction.
The ScanLoop operation also involves several Salzgitter Group subsidiaries, including Salzgitter Mannesmann Scandinavia, DEUMU Deutsche Erz- und Metall-Union, VPS Verkehrsbetriebe Peine-Salzgitter and Salzgitter Flachstahl, integrating logistics, scrap handling and steel production within the group.
