Dirk Nolte, COO, DB Cargo UKRail freight operator DB Cargo UK has appointed Dirk Nolte (pictured) as chief operating officer (COO). Nolte, who has substantial experience in business process re-engineering and improvement, has spent 24 years in various industries managing large-scale international projects from scoping to implementation.

The company has also announced the appointment of Roger Neary as head of sales. Neary has worked for 25 years in rail freight with DB Cargo UK and its predecessor companies DB Schenker, EWS and British Rail.

The appointments come after a year of organisational restructuring and the introduction of a new operating model at Doncaster-based DB Cargo UK, which said it was looking to further improve operational and customer services.

Chief executive Hans-Georg Werner, who took on additional responsibilities as head of production and head of sales during the restructure, said it was now time to share out the responsibilities.

“We have now stabilised our operations and customer confidence is returning, so now is the ideal time to hand over the reins,” he said. “Dirk, Roger, myself and the rest of the UK board will be focusing on driving even higher standards of reliability and service to our customers.”

DB Cargo UK transports around 230,000 finished vehicles a year in the UK and claims a 90% share of the country’s market for finished vehicles moved by rail. The company also offers international services for both finished vehicles and automotive components.