Portraits of VTG Anniversary Celebrants

Long Haul VTG

Curtain up for our VTG veterans: In this series, we put our long-standing colleagues center stage and give insights into their stories.

What does it feel like to work at VTG for 25 or even 35 years? Which experiences shape you and what keeps you on board for so long? Our anniversary employees look back, share their personal highlights, and talk about what they look forward to in the future.

Nils Ortmann: 25 years at VTG

At VTG since 2001 | Senior Director Asset Segment Dry

How did you come to VTG?

“My professional career began at the DUPEG specialty tank terminal. There, as a school and university student, I cleaned tanks with rags, filled my first tank cars, and hauled hoses… I then completed an internship at VTG in the ‘International Tank Car Marketing (KTI)’ department with Birgitt Klockgether and Astrid Henning, which was followed in 2001 by a diploma thesis in the tank terminal area. My goal was to take on a position between technical and commercial activities over the long term. Accordingly, after the internship I studied for a degree in Industrial Engineering, graduating with a specialization in Sales and Consumer Psychology as well as Energy and Environmental Engineering.”

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Everyday office life in the early 2000s; from left to right: Ulrich Weiß (Market Development), Nils Ortmann (Fleet Manager), Torben Jaeger (Head of Fleet Management)

Which year has stayed with you the most?

“What I remember most vividly is the restructuring phase. After the first major reorganization as part of the IPO in 2007, we became significantly more dynamic. Another defining milestone was the acquisition of AAE in 2014 (the integration of one of Europe’s leading wagon leasing companies and an important growth step).”

Rail freight wagon training in 2017: At the workshop, it was not only about learning all about wagons, food and refreshments were also provided, but fun was never in short supply

What does your 25-year anniversary mean to you personally and professionally?

“Personally, I have never really regretted staying with the same company for so long. That may be unusual and is not considered the classic path to a steep career. But I like the brand, our product, and the entire sector. I look in the mirror in the morning and think to myself, ‘Je ne regrette rien’. VTG is a company with a technical DNA and a commitment to sustainability. It is precisely this combination that appeals to my engineering soul. Professionally, it is the position I always wanted to reach. As the fleet has grown, I have grown with it, and now it is only logical for me to take responsibility for it and, together with my team, drive further growth.”

“I look in the mirror in the morning and think to myself, ‘Je ne regrette rien’. VTG is a company with a technical DNA and a commitment to sustainability.”

(Left) Nils, Christian Sass, and Torben Jäger “thinking out loud”; (Center) According to Nils, the 2000s were characterized by “ugly ties”; (Right) Trade fair in Munich in 2007. VTG is participating with rail freight wagons for the first time.

What advice would you give your “former self” (and our Young Talents) if you could start all over again?

“From my perspective, we should place greater emphasis on direct exchange again: write less, talk to each other more. We can easily get caught up in email loops that consume a great deal of time without really moving us forward.

So my advice to our Young Talents: seek direct exchange and build networks based on genuine relationships.

And most importantly: content needs substance! There should always be ‘meat on the bones,’ meaning clear statements that provide added value rather than just surface-level content.”

What are you particularly looking forward to in the future at VTG?

“In the future, I am genuinely looking forward to a change in perspective. After 25 years with the company, I always enjoy new methods, approaches, and ideas. That continues to motivate me. And I am also looking forward to the next twenty years!”