Photo: László Horváth, Chairman of the Board of CER Cargo Group and Thomas Gruber, Managing Director of WLC
Subheadline: Future of the company and jobs secured
Wiener Lokalbahnen Cargo GmbH (WLC), one of Austria’s leading rail freight companies in intermodal and conventional transport, is getting a new owner – the rail freight company CER Cargo Group. This ensures the long-term future of the company.
In May 2025, Wiener Lokalbahnen (WLB), together with Wiener Stadtwerke (WSTW), launched an open bidding process to find a strategic partner capable of further developing WLC and creating new synergies. The successful bidder was the internationally active CER Cargo Group, headquartered in Budapest.
Monika Unterholzer, Deputy General Director of Wiener Stadtwerke, stated:
“We are pleased to have found in CER Cargo Group a buyer who, throughout the entire process, has shown that they have ambitious strategic plans for WLC. This was particularly important to us in light of the freight business s long-standing integration within our group.”
CER Cargo Group operates subsidiaries in several southern, eastern, and central European countries and sees WLC as an ideal addition for expanding its interoperable activities in Austria and Germany.
Laszlo Horvath, majority owner and Chairman of the Board of CER Cargo Group, added:
“With WLC, we have found the ideal addition to our international business portfolio. This expansion enables us to offer interoperable rail freight services across Europe. We look forward to working with WLC s highly qualified employees and benefiting from the expertise the company has built up over the years, particularly in the Austrian and German markets.”
The change of ownership is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.