Greenbrier opens GBSummit axle machining facility on West Coast

The Greenbrier Companies on April 28 announced the opening of GBSummit, an 80,000-square foot railcar axle machining facility in San Bernardino, Calif.

Jointly owned by Greenbrier and Sumitomo Corp. of Americas, the U.S. unit of Japan’s Sumitomo, the facility features advanced automation and performs railcar axle machining, in addition to comprehensive axle services including inspection and cleaning, finishing, machining and downsizing (for example, machining 100-ton-spec axles down to 70-ton spec for articulated intermodal platforms).

The new operation is adjacent to a Greenbrier Rail Services-owned railcar wheel/axle maintenance facility.

GBSummit can produce up to 12,000 axles per year and deliver them to freight car owners across North America. The company expects production to grow to 50,000 axles per year over the next 36 months.

“We are excited to open GBSummit with Sumitomo, a trusted long-time supplier,” said Rick Turner, senior vice president and leader of Greenbrier’s Wheels & Parts unit. “Our new state-of-the art facility is the first axle machining location on the West Coast. It supports the growth we see in intermodal rail activity, the largest of all rail loading categories, where loadings have increased steadily in 2017, up 2.4% year-to-date.

“GBSummit is in a prime location near major intermodal rail operations that serve two of America’s busiest container ports, the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles (San Pedro). This facility creates value for our customers and partners and is consistent with our strategy of creating solutions for our customers over the life of the railcar.”