It is the first European network created between an Multimodal platform Manager and the Manager of the national railways infrastructure and it was born to affirm a new business model aiming to attract new intermodal traffic and respond to the new needs of the supply chain. The initiative born in parallel to the recently approved Regional Law releasing incentives to the intermodal transport. HIL – “Hub Intermodali e Logistici” (Intermodal and Logistics Hubs) is the name of the joint business initiative established on 31st of July between Terminali Italia, daughter company of Ferrovie dello Stato Holding, and Gestione Servizi Interporto, daughter company of the Interporto Bologna Holding. The HIL’s objective is the establishment of single actor responsible for the logistics integration of all links in the transport chain and for the management of full package of the intermodal terminal services. HIL is based on an innovative business model and will require the use of technical and well-profiled resources together with advanced technologies and assets in order to manage and develop the “hub/terminal last mile services” in a synergized and efficient way. HIL aims to provide a clear response to the market of railway freight transport for which the “handler of the railway services of the last mile” plays now a strategic role along the supply chain, capable of promoting synergies and collaborations. The Bologna Intermodal terminal, together with the Parma (Castelguelfo) one, are going to be the set of terminals part of the network in which HIL will perform its innovative business and operational plan. The HIL core activities will aim to standardize and optimize the management of the railway operations and handling services within the Hubs of reference and in parallel seek to satisfy the new requirements of the novel supply-chain. The HIL pillars will be the management of the full package of the Hub terminal services (handling, inspections, maintenance & repairing of loading units, maintenance for Railcars, pre-carriage, VAS, etc..) together with very focused services for the enhancement and optimization of mobile assets and synchronization with logistics operations. The link between them will be the search for synergies and cooperation in the context of the freight transport and along the logistics chains aimed at broadening the range of services to support a more coordinated 'rail-road' integration. From the very beginning, HIL will extend its activities and actions to the international market in order both to position the terminal of Bologna and Parma (Castelguelfo) within the strategic network of the major European intermodal operators and to develop with them business models capable of responding to the needs of the international shippers. A further element encouraging the HIL initiative is represented by the recent Regional Law 10/2014 which releases incentives supporting the rail transport and, in particular, new rail services having their origin or destination in one of the regional intermodal terminal.