Transparent cooperation for sustainable infrastructure
Project Stats
Project duration
2024 - 2027
Project volume
1 billion euros
Industry
Area
©Deutsche Bahn AG 2025
Project overview
Deutsche Bahn is currently implementing an extensive infrastructure project with a total volume of around 1 billion euros.
As rail traffic continues to increase, Deutsche Bahn's long-distance fleet is also growing steadily. This increases the need for maintenance — particularly in Cottbus, which plays a central role as the location of the traditional DB maintenance plant. A new, ultra-modern railway plant is currently being built there.
The core of the project is the construction of two new factories for heavy maintenance of the ICE 4 fleet. The first hall with two tracks was put into operation at the beginning of 2024. The second hall with four tracks is to follow at the end of 2026 and complete Deutsche Bahn's largest and most modern maintenance plant.
The overall project is divided into five sub-projects: the new construction of Hall 1, the outbuildings, the outdoor facilities, the tracks and a parking facility at the Cottbus CHP plant.
Digital lean methodology as a guarantee of success
The size and complexity of the project required an innovative approach to project management from the outset. With the lean methodology and its digital implementation by lcmd, the team created a transparent basis for efficient project processes.
What would no longer be possible with analog methods at this project size becomes a key success factor thanks to digital implementation. The weekly construction meetings, in which all those involved communicate with lcmd, as well as the detailed 6-week preview for the various trades ensure commitment and clear responsibilities.
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©Deutsche Bahn AG 2025
Special features of the project
The project, which has been ongoing since 2024, comprises several sub-areas, which are supervised by a total of five specialized project teams — including hall construction, track systems, outdoor facilities and parking areas. A central feature of the project is the application of the IPA model (Integrated Project Management), which is becoming increasingly important for major projects.
In contrast to traditional approaches with a general contractor, IPA focuses on transparency, cooperation and partnership between all project participants on equal footing. Risks and opportunities are shared, which not only enables efficiency gains but also enables early problem identification and resolution. The executing companies are actively involved in the early planning phases — a key factor for successful and accelerated implementation.
The benefits of this cooperative way of working are particularly evident when it comes to technical challenges such as connecting to the existing DB network. Supported by the targeted use of digital tools, complex interfaces can be efficiently coordinated and controlled. The result is a future-oriented infrastructure project that sets new standards in planning, execution and cooperation.
What the DB team particularly appreciates about lcmd:
- The seamless integration of all project teams on a single platform, which makes cross-team collaboration much easier
- The ability to capture detailed plans digitally and display them transparently for all parties involved
- Live adjustments during construction meetings, which are immediately visible to all construction and project managers
- The direct connection of action points to the overall process, which means that the link to the entire construction project is always visible
- The digital implementation of the lean methodology, which would no longer be practicable in analogue form given the size of the project
- The intuitive user interface, which enables quick familiarization even with complex requirements
- The flexible adaptability of the software to the specific requirements of an infrastructure project of this size
lcmd has become an indispensable tool for our project. It provides exactly the functions we need to manage our complex construction projects. - The software adapts to our needs and not the other way around. This makes lcmd an ideal tool for our project.
Christopher Großheim
Project Manager & Lean Representative | Deutsche Bahn AG
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