RHI Magnesita inaugurated the new rail container terminal at the Dolomite Resource Center Hochfilzen on Monday, August 30, 2021. Thus, more than 9,000 containers will be transported by rail in a CO2-neutral way every year. This saves more than 10 truck trips per day or more than 3,000 truck trips per year through the surrounding communities and means a significant improvement in traffic for the region. Among others, Leonore Gewessler – Climate Protection Minister, Deputy Governor of Tyrol Ingrid Felipe as well as Mayor Konrad Walk made themselves a picture on site.
In line with the occasion, the guests arrived by locomotive at the RHI Magnesita plant site in Hochfilzen. The speeches during the ceremony were held by Minister Leonore Gewessler, Stefan Borgas (CEO, RHI Magnesita) and Christoph Stock (Plant Manager Hochfilzen and Breitenau, RHI Magnesita). The highlight of the ceremony was the passage of the first locomotive into the new rail container terminal.
Investment as commitment to Austria and the Hochfilzen site
With the new rail container terminal, RHI Magnesita is once again investing in the Hochfilzen site. Since 2019, RHI Magnesita has invested roughly 40 million euros in the Hochfilzen site – the largest investment the company has made in Austria in the last 30 years. Among other things, this was used to finance the “Simone” conveyor tunnel, which transports roughly 200,000 tons of raw material to the plant and onto the railroad in Hochfilzen by means of a conveyor belt. Now, RHI Magnesita again invested about 1.3 million euros to offer another sustainable transport solution for the refractory products with the new rail container terminal.
CO2-neutral transport by rail
The new rail container terminal now makes it possible to deliver the products manufactured in Hochfilzen to customers all over the world in a CO2-neutral manner. This means not only less heavy traffic on the roads in the region, but also a significant reduction in CO2 emissions – a plus for all locals, tourists and the environment. Stefan Borgas, CEO of RHI Magnesita, comments: “We have already managed to transport more than 50% of our products from Hochfilzen to our customers by rail. The remaining 50% spur us on even more to invest in innovation and environmental protection.”
“In order for us to succeed in the fight against the climate crisis, we have to use many levers. Especially in the transport sector there is a great opportunity. With the extensive shift of its freight transport from road to rail, RHI Magnesita makes an important contribution to the climate and thus also relieves residents from noise and particulate matter. I am pleased that we have been able to support these projects with our connecting railway funding,” said Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler.
“Hochfilzen is one of the most important locations of RHI Magnesita worldwide. Intensive and sustainable investments have been made in the plant for months. Whoever is looking for a job with a future will find it with us. Currently, we are still looking for ten employees in production,” says Christoph Stock, plant manager of RHI Magnesita in Hochfilzen.