Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Americold Realty Trust Inc. have entered a strategic collaboration to co-locate Americold warehouse facilities on the CPKC network. Anchored by rail transportation service, the intent is to build the first facility in Kansas City, Mo., to bring together cold storage and value-added-services with expedited intermodal transportation solutions connecting key U.S. Midwest and Mexico markets.
"CPKC is pleased to collaborate with Americold to provide innovative solutions for our customers throughout North America with this Kansas City facility, the first of many we intend to build in the years to come," said Keith Creel, CPKC president and CEO. "CPKC's new Mexico Midwest Express (MMX) premium intermodal service, combined with one of the largest fleets of refrigerated containers in the industry, and now this collaboration, will further elevate this world-class service offering moving a range of food and other products to and from Mexico."
CPKC connects North American markets with single-line, expedited intermodal freight transportation and a fleet of TempPro temperature-protected intermodal containers for reliable door-to-door transit competitive with over the road trucks.
"At Americold, we are constantly looking for innovative ways to create value for our large global customers. This partnership with CPKC leverages the strengths of both companies, and enables us to offer solutions together that we would not be able to offer separately," said George Chappelle, CEO at Americold. "The combination of Americold's vast North American facilities network and world-class coldchain operating model with CPKC's new MMX intermodal service and refrigerated assets will produce a new and unique offering to the food supply chain."
A global leader in temperature-controlled logistics, Americold's cold chain ecosystem plays an integral role in the food supply chain connecting production, distribution and consumption for many of the largest food companies in the world.
CPKC and Americold are working collaboratively to streamline border crossing procedures and provide a more seamless experience for shippers.
CPKC recently announced the addition of 1,000 new 53-foot refrigerated intermodal containers to its network, more than doubling CPKC's existing fleet and bringing more shipping options to customers using the expanding Mexico Midwest Express premium intermodal service.
MMX is North America's first single-line rail service offering for refrigerated shippers from the Midwest to Mexico, a market currently served by trucks.
The average intermodal train takes more than 300 trucks off the road with 75 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than trucks. Freight trains are four times more fuel efficient than trucks and can move a ton of freight 500 miles on one gallon of fuel.
The MMX temperature controlled service will move fresh and frozen produce, baked goods, candy and other food products northbound and beef, chicken and pork to southern markets.
MMX trains now link Chicago, Kansas City, Texas markets, Monterrey and San Luis Potosi offering third-day service to/from Laredo, fourth-day service to/from Monterrey and 4.5-day service to/from San Luis Potosi. MMX provides transit time of 98 hours from Chicago to San Luis Potosi – a day faster than the nearest competitor
Source: CPKC
