BNSF announces 2018 economic development results

These investments are expected to generate approximately 1400 new jobs in local communities. This marks the eighth consecutive year that BNSF customers and local economic development organisations have invested more than US$1 billion in a calendar year for new or expanded facilities.

“Customer investments of this scale emphasise how our rail network can be an integral part of a creative transportation solution for a wide variety of businesses and industries,” said Colby Tanner, Assistant Vice President, Economic Development. “BNSF works tirelessly to help make locating on or near rail a quick and painless process.”

In 2018, new developments supported a wide variety of commodities including agriculture, consumer products, frozen meat, sand, aggregates and paper in more than 100 communities across the BNSF network. Highlights of supply chain solutions BNSF helped its customers achieve in 2018 include:

• Kubota Tractor Corporation – Expanding its Logistics Park Kansas City facility, Kubota increased the number of employees at the facility by more than 150 and invested about US$87 million to add a million square feet to the existing distribution centre.
• Dakota Plains – Located in Napa Junction, South Dakota, the new corn shuttle facility created eight new jobs in 2018 and accounts for US$40 million in capital investment. Expansion discussions are already underway.
• WinChill – The 326 000 ft² cold storage facility located at Sioux Falls Foundation Park – a BNSF Certified Site located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota – brought 105 new jobs to Sioux Falls and a US$67 million investment.
• Dolese Bros. Co. – With an investment of US$35 million, the White Eagle sand facility can produce more than 1000 tph of concrete sand and can load rail cars at more than 3000 tph. With a loop track capacity for 123 cars, the facility can currently load a 93-car unit train in under four hours.

Read the article online at: https://www.drybulkmagazine.com/rail-barge/06022019/bnsf-announces-2018-economic-development-results/