GERMAN rail freight operator Helrom has completed its restructuring process, with its insolvency plan approved as legally binding by the local court in Frankfurt am Main on January 20.
Under the proceedings which Helrom initiated in July 2025, having “reached its financial limits during a phase of strong growth and high upfront investment,” the company has been restructured, creating what Helrom says is the basis for stable and long-term development.
Majority shareholder HRG, which owns 95% of Helrom, has widened the investor base and has provided the company with additional capital. For this purpose, Helrom Holding has been established as a subsidiary of HRG.
An important part of the new corporate structure, according to Helrom, is the participation of US-based wagon manufacturer and leasing company Greenbrier, which is now the only other shareholder. Greenbrier's European business has received an order for 62 wagons from Helrom.
Helrom says that Greenbrier, Deutsche Anlagen Leasing (DAL) and Société Générale have been among its most important collaborators for several years and continue to support the company. In May 2025 Helrom completed a €32.9m green loan deal with DAL and Société Générale to finance the purchase of 120 wagons.
Swiss Life Asset Management acquired a significant stake in Helrom to become anchor investor in April 2022, but according to Helrom it is no longer involved in the company.
Helrom remains the operator of a network of five services carrying lorry semi-trailers on wagons equipped with its proprietary swing-tray technology, requiring no specialised terminal infrastructure. The services operate from Düsseldorf to Katowice in Poland, Vienna and Trento in Italy, as well as between Regensburg and Lébény in Hungary, and from Cologne to Budapest.
In the coming months, Helrom will focus on stabilising the business and strengthening its existing services. “The past months have been a major challenge for the entire company,” says Roman Noack, CEO and co-founder of Helrom.
“We can now look ahead on a financially strengthened basis and with a stable structure. Our focus is clearly on the operational business: reliable connections, high service quality, and the consistent shift of freight to rail.”
