Husa Transportation Group (formerly Husa Capital) is a group of railfreight, logistics and rail services companies founded in 1998, the group's main business arm on foundation was ACTS Nederland BV (ACTS), founded 1989, an open access freight operator in the Netherlands.
In 2014 the company announced it would exit the rail freight operating business, and dispose of the assets of its 'Husa Transportation Rail Services' (HTRS) subsidiaries.
History
ACTS Nederland BV was founded in 1989, and developed systems for transloading of containerised waste from road to rail without the use of cranes.The system was named the Afzet Container Transport Systeem, giving rise to the acronym ACTS. (see also ACTS (containersysteem) Dutch language or Abrollcontainer-Transportsystem German language) In 1997 the ACTS container service were discontinued by NS Cargo. Subsequently, ACTS gained a license to operate as a railway company, and on 16 March 1998 began to operate waste container trains between Groningen and VAMVuil Afvoer Maatschappij (VAM) was a waste disposal company. (See also VAM Dutch language) in Wijster, becoming the first private Dutch rail company. In 1999 the company began transporting ISO Containers for Vos Logistics.
In 2004 Husa Capital BV obtained a majority of shares in ACTS,"Sleeper or open track?", Beaufort Business Partners BV, quote "Since 2004 the majority of the company shares have been held by Husa Capital BV" Ir John Hoekwater, ACTS's founding director was replaced by Rob van Gansewinkel. By 2004 ACTS had acquired a 7% market share of rail freight in the Netherlands."Sleeper or open track?", Beaufort Business Partners, fig. 2
In the summer of 2006 ACTS in association with the Dutch railway infrastructure authority ProRail operated test trains on the Betuweroute. In January 2007 ACTS obtained certification to operate on the German rail system.
By January 2008 Husa Capitals stake in ACTS had risen above 90%, and at the beginning of the same year ACTS was reorganised into independent operating companies with rolling stock leasing being taken over by RailMotion AG (Basel, Switzerland); the company inherited over 300 intermodal wagons. On the same date rolling stock maintenance was split into the company The Rail Factory BV based at Apeldoorn and Amersfoort, and specialising in the maintenance of locomotives. A business sub-unit Portfeeders was also formed, to concentrate on 'feeder operations' (shunting) in the Port of Rotterdam.Rolandrail: ACTS/Portfeeders/Railmotion, section : "Beknopte geschiedenis"
On 23 January 2008 ACTS obtained certification to operate on the Belgian railway network from the national railway network company Infrabel.
In January 2009 Husa Capital BV renamed itself Husa Transportation Group.RailFormation, Spring 2009, p.3Husa Transportation Deutschland was formed by the acquisition of Rent-a-rail GmbH (railway construction locomotive leasing) and SRS RailService (rolling stock broker) in May 2009.
De Vries Transport Services, based in Veendam was acquired in September 2009 after bankruptcy,RailFormation, Summer 2010, p.1, col.2, "Intermodal Expert" and renamed InterModal Solutions Veendam''' (IMS-Veendam). The company undertakes road transport, and operates terminals in Veendam and Leeuwarden. Bulk cargo handling (powders and granules) is carried out at Veendam, and warehousing at the Groningen Railport intermodal terminal in Veendam.
In January 2014 the company announced it was to exit the rail freight transportation business, citing uncompetitive infrastructure access costs. The subsidiaries HRTS Nederlands and HRTS Süd were to be offered for sale, whilst rolling stock leasing company Rail Motion, and container shuttle business Shuttlewise were to remain in business.
Group structure Since the end of 2008 the group is divided into three divisions Husa Railway Services (rail freight and leasing), Husa Logistic Services (intermodal freight) and Husa Rolling Stock Services (locomotive and rolling stock maintenance).
The subdivisions are: Husa Railway Services ACTS Railways Portfeeders Husa Transportation Deutschland Husa Logistics Services IMS Shuttlewise, joint venture with Den Hartog LogisticsHusa Rolling Stock Services The Railfactory Rail Service Benelux, joint venture with WRS (Westdeutsche Rail Service GmbH.), (Duisburg)
Rolling stock
ACTS The company began rail operations in 1999, and by 2000 had five 1500 V DC ex-NS Class 1200s,RailFormation, Spring 2009, p.8, "10 Years of our own traction and of 1200 locomotives at ACTS" 5 ex-SNCB Class 62 diesel mainline locomotives and ex-Czech Railways diesel shunters built in East Germany. The 1200 electrics and 6700 diesels were modified to work in multiple and were often used in pairs for better performance.Van NS 1200 naar ACTS 1250, Laurens Pit, pp.98, "Diesselocs"
In 2003 three ex-British Rail Class 58s were acquired, which operated until 2009 when EMD Series 66 leased from Mitsui Rail Capital (MCRE) began to replace them. MaK / Vossloh G1206 (light freight and shunting) locomotives also began to be leased on short and long-term contracts from MRCE and Angel Trains Cargo after 2004.
In 2008 ACTS started to acquire a second set of 1500 V DC locomotives, former NS Class 1600 machines from Railion Nederlands., and from 2009 onwards mainline freight locomotives Vossloh G2000 BB were leased from Angel Trains Cargo and MRCE.
In 2009 ACTS leased its first Eurosprinter ES 64 F4 quad-voltage freight locomotive.
ACTS classLocomotive typeService datesTotal unitscumulativenotesE 1250NS Class 12001999-2009Rolandrail: ACTS/Portfeeders/Railmotion, section : "Voorheen door ACTS ingezette locomotieven (niet volledig)"5The locomotives were to be scrapped; ACTS took legal action with an appeal to the Netherlands Competition Authority (Nederlandse Mededingingsautoriteit) since the locomotives had not been offered for sale, and Nederlandse Spoorwegen was not facilitating a sale to potential competitors.Van NS 1200 naar ACTS 1250, Laurens Pit, pp.96-72 units sold to Euro-Express-Treincharter B.V. (EETC)DH 6000ČD Class 716The shunters were of Deutsche Reichsbahn V 60 4 axle type (see DR-Baureihe V 60 German language) manufactured at LEW-Hennigsdorf for the Czech railways.DR V 602000-53 units (6003 to 6005) sold to Euro-Express-Treincharter B.V. (EETC)DE 6700SNCB Class 621999-5SNCB numbers 6321, 6325, 6391, 6392 and 6393 were acquired for use, and were renumbered from 6701 onwards.Rolandrail: ACTS/Portfeeders/Railmotion, section : ACTS locomotievenoverzicht 6290 was also acquired for spares.DE 5800British Rail Class 582003–20093Acquired from EWS, former numbers EWS 58039, EWS 58044, EWS 58038 were renumbered 5811, 5812 and 5814 respectively.G 1206G 12062004–presentover 10Numbers used for the class by ACTS are 7100 and upwardsDE Class 66EMD Series 662004-~5~3 in service late 2010NS Class 16002008-4Leased from subsidiary RailMotionVossloh G2000 BB2009-5~2/3 in service late 2010ES 64 F42009-4Known as DBAG Class 189 when operating for Deutsche Bahn, leased from MRCE
RailMotion Since the group restructuring in 2008 RailMotion AG owns wagons suitable for heavy 40' ISO containers, 60' ISO containers, and the ACTS container system, the company also owns and leases locomotives inherited from ACTS, as of January 2011 the company has ten ex-NS Class 1600 electric locomotives.Rolandrail: ACTS/Portfeeders/Railmotion, section : RailMotion
Rent-a-Rail Rent-a-Rail operates shunting locomotives typically of less than 1000 kW power, additionally one Vossloh G1206 and two re-engined DB Class V 100, and an ex-Deutsche Reichsbahn Class V 100 type are also operated as of 2010.
Liveries The original ACTS livery was a deep blue with a thick horizontal yellow band, intended to be reminiscent of the American Pennsylvania Railroad,Van NS 1200 naar ACTS 1250, Laurens Pit, pp.98 "Kleuren en indienststelling" some locomotives were painted operated in the livery of one of ACTS customers, Vos Logistics, a livery of black with an orange stripe.
Later machines received a grey green livery; introduced in 2006, The ex-NS 1600 remained in the yellow-grey livery of their previous owner Nederlandse Spoorwegen, whilst other locomotives are in the livery of their leasing company. Some MaK G 1206s used for the Portfeeders'' subsidiary have received a special livery - slate blue with orange and red shaped diagonal bands.
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