Case study - BVV GmbH: Credit insurance for the steel processing industry

About BVV GmbH

Traditional and modern technology – only a few companies can combine these as effectively as Bochumer Verein Verkehrstechnik, BVV for short.

The company has been manufacturing cast steel products in Bochum since 1842, making it one of the pioneers of steel processing. It started out by casting bells, followed a short time later shortly after by seamless wheel tyres for the emerging railway industry.

Focus on safety and customer benefit

After manufacturing weapons during both World Wars, BVV’s post-war operations focused on the production of crude and refined steel, neither of which were offered by the competition.

BVV has continued growing to this day and is also a leading innovator, especially in the field of railway industry products such as wheels, wheelsets and axles.

Following a phase of affiliation with the Krupp concern, the company was handed over to was then acquired by new owners.

During this period, BVV took out trade credit insurance with Gerling Versicherung, Atradius’ predecessor. From then on, it became possible for BVV to grow independently as a medium-sized international company and to have any customer risks assessed beforehand.

Safety is a key factor in all of BVV’s business activities, encompassing everything from quality audits for railway technology products to the customer risk analyses performed by Atradius.

Secure growth

In 2017, BVV became part of Full Hill Enterprise Ltd., a Chinese concern. The Bochum-based company has declared its goals of developing the Chinese market more efficiently and acquiring new business customers in Europe, the USA and the rest of the world.

Dieter Gusko, Head of Finance at BVV, is convinced: “With Atradius, we can grow internationally and recognise risks such as companies on the brink of insolvency in plenty of time.”

Christian Pludra from Atradius, who manages the BVV account in cooperation with underwriter Barbara Maevers, adds:

“The customised solutions provided by Atradius and the partnership and personal cooperation that has existed between the two companies for the last 30 years have laid the foundation for BVV’s successful expansion.”