NORTH American wagon service provider American Industrial Transport (AITX) has announced the launch of AITX Rail Europe.
Based in Paris, the new company will offer European rolling stock manufacturers, wagon leasing companies and freight shippers access to a “broad and growing set of resources, expertise and partnerships across fleet management, leasing solutions, regulatory management and maintenance operations.”
AITX confirmed to IRJ that it is aiming to become an industry leader by “offering our customers the best solutions across leasing, repair, fleet management, and railcar data.” AITX affiliates already active in Europe will transition to AITX Rail Europe “in due course,” it says. Administrative support will be provided from the United States. AITX is based in St Louis, Missouri.
Mr Mahindhann Krishnapillai has been appointed head of AITX Rail Europe. Krishnapillai was previously operations director at VTG France, overseeing the company’s fleet management and maintenance businesses for more than 100 European customers. He has also worked for CIT’s full-service leasing platform, Nacco, and DB Cargo.
Krishnapillai is joined at AITX Rail Europe by operating partner, Mr Dan DiStefano.
DiStefano was most recently executive vice-president for international rail at ITE Management, and is a former president of Nacco.
AITX and its affiliates own a fleet of more than 60,000 wagons in use by customers across North America and Europe and is also responsible for an active new-build programme. In addition, it owns 17 wagon repair facilities in the United States and Canada.
