SNCF de fer", literally, 'path of iron', means railway). These were the: The French state originally took 51% ownership of SNCF and invested large amounts of public subsidies into the system. Today, SNCF is wholly owned by the French state. Following the 1940 Armistice and until August 1944, SNCF was requisitioned for the transport of German armed forces and armaments. The invading German troops were responsible for the destruction of nearly 350 French railway bridges and tunnels. According to differing estimates, SNCF surrendered between 125,000-213,000 wagons and 1,000-2,000 locomotives. France's railway infrastructure and rolling stocks were a target for the French
SNCF Logistics and other non-rail freight businesses of SNCF-Sceta, were combined into Compagnie Générale Calberson which was renamed as Geodis. The Geodis group was subsequently privatised in 1996. In 1997 Tailleur Industrie was acquired, in 2000 the express delivery service Extand was sold to the UK Post Office, and had acquired the cargo operations of the Italian firm Züst Ambrosetti by the end of the year. A partnership with the German air and sea freight firm Rohde & Liesenfeld begins in 2002 leading to its acquisition and incorporation into the subsidiary Geodis Wilson in 2008. Additionally the group begins to handle forwarding