{"id":351768,"date":"2026-01-19T22:47:44","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T12:47:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.railfreight.com\/?p=68741"},"modified":"2026-01-19T22:47:44","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T12:47:44","slug":"heavy-haul-rail-new-brand-for-freightliner-spin-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=351768","title":{"rendered":"Heavy Haul Rail: new brand for Freightliner spin-off"},"content":{"rendered":"

RailFreight.com can reveal that Freightliner\u2019s bulk freight operations will continue under a new company, Heavy Haul Rail Limited. The move follows the late-2025 sale of Freightliner\u2019s Intermodal division to the French shipping concern CMA CGM, which is expected to conclude at the end of this month. CMA CGM will acquire the Freightliner brand and container-focused operations. Heavy Haul Rail will remain outside CMA CGM ownership, retaining the locomotives, wagons, and bulk freight contracts previously run by Freightliner Heavy Haul.<\/strong>
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Managing Director of the new Heavy Haul Rail company, Dave Penney, has confirmed in a letter to staff that preparations are almost complete for the spin-out. Heavy Haul Rail will launch in early 2026 with a new deep green and lime green livery, a new website, branded uniforms, and PPE. Penney says these will reflect its focus on aggregates, cement, and minerals. Staff will receive branded welcome packs and guidance on new organisational values that will shape the company\u2019s strategy.<\/p>\n

Heavy Haul Rail follows Freightliner restructuring<\/h2>\n

The creation of Heavy Haul Rail is part of a strategic separation of Freightliner\u2019s operations. The intermodal business, sold to CMA CGM<\/a>, will now operate container traffic independently. Heavy Haul Rail will continue to manage long-haul bulk freight, allowing each business to pursue its own markets and growth strategies. It\u2019s understood that Heavy Haul Rail will operate under current ownership, reportedly investment houses Brookfield and GIC. The company was registered in the UK in November 2025<\/a> with a Birmingham office address. Not surprisingly, it’s the same address as the company it will replace, Freightliner Heavy Haul. It is set to become fully operational after the intermodal sale concludes at the end of January 2026.<\/p>\n

Dave Penney\u2019s letter offers a first look at Heavy Haul Rail\u2019s new branding. \u201cI am delighted to give you a preview of the new branding for our company including our new logo,\u201d he wrote. The livery features a ground of deep green with lime green highlights. The website, www.heavyhaulrail.co.uk, is registered but is not open to public viewing. RailFreight.com understands it will have an environmental emphasis and reflect the corporate colour scheme. A possible screenshot features a verdant forest scene and a \u201cshifting the load\u201d strapline.<\/p>\n

Continuity for customers<\/h2>\n

Heavy Haul Rail will operate the existing locomotive fleet and wagons dedicated to bulk traffic. Contracts cover aggregates, cement, minerals, and other long-haul heavy goods, maintaining continuity for Freightliner Heavy Haul customers. Penney emphasised the operational freedom the new company offers. \u201cAs a new organisation, we will have the freedom to innovate, to challenge and to design better solutions for our customers, our communities and for the industries that rely on us. But more importantly, we have the people \u2013 including you \u2013 to make it happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among other marques, Heavy Haul Rail will continue to deploy Class 66 locomotives, the workhorses of UK bulk freight. These diesel-electric units are capable of handling the long-haul bulk trains and challenging routes that define the heavy haul sector. Notably, the news comes on the same day as keen rival and competitor DB Cargo UK announced the sale of 25 examples of the marque<\/a> to a Romanian operator.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

RailFreight.com can reveal that Freightliner\u2019s bulk freight operations will continue under a new company, Heavy Haul Rail Limited. The move follows the late-2025 sale of\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16546,72,19294,19295,7541,19296,11313,471,47],"tags":[12634],"class_list":["post-351768","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bulk-loads","category-business","category-cgm-cma","category-dave-penney","category-freightliner-uk","category-heavy-haul-rail","category-in-depth","category-news","category-rail-news","tag-railfreight"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t