Americold, CPKC to co-locate cold storage facilities

The Canadian Pacific Kansas City railroad company and Americold Realty Trust plan to establish co-located Americold warehouse facilities on the CPKC network. Anchored by rail transportation service, the intent is to build the first facility in Kansas City, Missouri, that combines cold storage and value-added-services with expedited intermodal transportation solutions connecting key U.S. Midwest and Mexico markets, the companies report.

“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,” Keith Creel, CPKC president and CEO, said in a news release. “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. 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 together to streamline border crossing procedures and provide a more seamless experience for shippers.

“At Americold, we are constantly looking for innovative ways to create value for our large global customers,” said George Chappelle, Americold CEO. “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.

“The combination of Americold’s vast North American facilities network and world-class cold-chain operating model with CPKC’s new MMX intermodal service and refrigerated assets will produce a new and unique offering to the food supply chain.”

CPKC recently added 1,000 new 53-foot refrigerated intermodal containers to its network, more than doubling its existing fleet and bringing more shipping options to customers using the MMX service, which is North America’s first single-line rail service offering for refrigerated shippers from the Midwest to Mexico, CPKC said.

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.