UIP 32nd Management Report 1981

The economic recession, already highlighted in our 1980 report, was felt in 1981 in the entire industrial transport sector. Our profession has known a reduction of the rail activity in almost all countries of Europe.

Only the agricultural sector has withstood the trend and known a slight growth in several areas. In the other way, the fall of traffic, enough strong for bulky and petroleum products, caused the non-use of a large amount of wagons and stopped many orders for new equipment.

The year 1981 was therefore difficult for the owners of private wagons, whether users or tenant. In such a situation, only the relatively long life period of railway equipment allows the owner to wait for better years to amortise its capital.

1981 Management Report is available in both French and German.