Richardson to Expand Eight Elevators on CPKC Network

National Steel Car 5,431cf three-pocket, high-capacity grain hopper. (National Steel Car photo)

Richardson International Limited (Richardson) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) announced June 26 that the agribusiness plans to expand eight CPKC-served elevators in Western Canada, allowing future trains to be moved from the sites under the Class I’s 8,500-foot High Efficiency Product (HEP) model, featuring Canadian-built (National Steel Car, Hamilton, Ont.) hopper cars.

According to CPKC, work on the elevators in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta will begin this summer, with completion scheduled for the end of 2024.

“Richardson is committed to Canadian farmers and providing growers with modern, high-efficiency facilities and services,” said Darwin Sobkow, President and COO of Richardson, which currently ships unit trains from 27 CPKC-served elevators in Canada and one in the northern U.S. The newest Richardson elevator at Carmichael, Sask., a greenfield grain elevator commissioned in early 2023, is their first 8,500-foot HEP site.

“Expanding eight elevators will increase capacity and efficiency, enabling Richardson to further benefit from CPKC’s single-line network reaching Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. We have strongly supported the CP-KCS combination throughout the process and look forward to working with CPKC on additional future opportunities for shared growth,” added Sobkow.

In 2021, Richardson acquired Italgrani USA Inc., including the largest North American durum mill located in St. Louis, Mo. The CPKC single-line network creates a “seamless” pipeline to the Italgrani mill from the durum-rich areas in Saskatchewan, where Richardson elevators are well positioned, according to the Class I. Furthermore, the combined network and markets in the southern U.S. and Mexico are opening new doors to Richardson for their grains, oilseeds and processed products.

“CPKC is thrilled to have these Richardson elevators added to the growing list of already qualified 8,500-foot HEP sites across western Canada,” said CPKC Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer John Brooks. “Richardson’s supply chain and CPKC’s operation will benefit from added efficiency, capacity and fluidity with this investment. Richardson’s ability to run longer trains will mean more grain shipped per train, tighter cycles and more Richardson trains moving across our expanded, single-line network throughout the season.”

Further Reading:

• CP replacing grain hopper fleet
• Record mark for CP grain as new HEP train debuts