Canpotex Limited (Canpotex) announced completion of construction and commencement of operation of its state-of-the art Railcar Maintenance Facility in Saskatchewan.
Canpotex invested CDN $60 million in the new facility to ensure that its railcars are efficiently maintained for the safe and timely transportation of Canpotex’s Saskatchewan potash to export terminals for shipment onwards to offshore markets. This new facility provides Canpotex with greater control over its railcar maintenance, thereby enhancing the performance of its fleet.
Located approximately 12 kilometres southwest of Lanigan in the Rural Municipality of Usborne, this facility provides all-weather inspection and light repair, automated railcar wash and wheel maintenance services for Canpotex’s 5,000 railcars.
This new facility is part of a railcar logistics’ strategy initiated in 1996 when Canpotex partnered with National Steel Car Limited of Hamilton, Ontario to build the world’s first railcar designed specifically to carry potash. The new design, combined with greater load capacity, allows Canpotex to operate longer trains that carry more potash. By exclusively running longer trains, Canpotex is one of the first Canadian shippers to support the railways’ move towards a ‘drop and lift’ operating system.