Commentary

Rail Equipment Webinar Takeaways: Cowen

Tightness across a wide array of freight cars has continued, and with supply chain challenges limiting the industry’s ability to produce to demand, the lease rate momentum looks sustainable, according to expert panelists at Cowen and Company’s Jan. 19 webinar on the current state and outlook of the rail, locomotive, and railcar leasing and manufacturing markets.

Within the 49% of total shippers who are contemplating railcar orders in the next 12 months, 58% said “yes,” they plan to place orders, versus 54% in third-quarter 2022, and 42% said “maybe,” compared with 46% in third-quarter 2022. This could mean an increased level of certainty about ordering within the total shipper group relative to last quarter. Box and tank cars saw demand improvement relative to third-quarter 2022. Hoppers, gondolas and centerbeams declined relative to third-quarter 2022.
Commentary

Cowen Insight: 4Q22 Shipper Surveys Say …

According to Cowen and Company’s recently conducted fourth-quarter 2022 Rail Equipment and Rail Shipper surveys, the demand for railcars remains strong, and rail-shipping pricing expectations ticked up sequentially. Details follow, plus insights on the Class I railroads, ahead of earnings.

LRW presented Trinity Industries, Inc., President and CEO Jean Savage with the 2022 Railway Woman of the Year award at the 2023 NRC-REMSA Exhibition Conference in Boca Raton, Fla. (Photograph Courtesy of LRW via LinkedIn)

People News: STB, LRW, IANA

Karen J. Hedlund has been designated Vice Chairman of the Surface Transportation Board (STB). Also, the League of Railway Women (LRW) named Trinity Industries, Inc. President and CEO Jean Savage 2022 Railway Woman of the Year; and the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) has installed its 2023 Board of Directors and Officers.

(Autorack Photograph Courtesy of Trinity)

Trinity Acquires Holden America

Trinity Industries, Inc., on Jan. 6 reported the acquisition of Holden America, a Montreal, Quebec-based producer of multi-level vehicle securement and protection systems, gravity-outlet gates, and gate accessories for freight rail, to support its autorack manufacturing business.

(Photograph Courtesy of Port of Long Beach)
Commentary

Cowen: Measuring Supply Chain Shifts

A COVID-induced supply chain spiral led to a logistical conundrum that forced shippers and executive teams to adapt to an ever-changing global environment. As the dust begins to settle, we, at Cowen Research, are taking a closer look at the more long-lasting changes across the supply chain and consumers. A multi-sector angle provides insight into the long-term impact for supply chains and beneficiaries of these shifts.

‘Rail Insights: Women in Rail’ Event Set for Nov. 10; Are You Registered?

Topping the list of reasons to attend Railway Age’s inaugural Rail Insights: Women in Rail Conference are headliners Tracy Robinson, President and CEO of CN; Katie Farmer, President and CEO of BNSF; Jenny Bush, President of Cummins Power Systems Business; and Jean Savage, CEO and President of Trinity Industries, Inc. Need more reasons to participate in this virtual event, to be held Nov. 10, starting at 1:30 p.m. ET.? Here are five.

Women in Rail Conference: Canfield, Dornan to Address Recruitment

Railway Age’s inaugural Rail Insights: Women in Rail Conference will feature Merritt Canfield of Meritus Executive Search Excellence and Laurie Dornan of The Greenbrier Companies, discussing how the railroad and supply sectors find and attract top female talent. Hearing from leading industry women like Canfield and Dornan is just one reason to participate in this virtual event, to be held Nov. 10, starting at 1:30 p.m. ET. Need more reasons? Here are five.

“Despite a volatile macro environment, we continue to identify attractive long-term growth opportunities in our markets in addition to the signing of a new railcar supply agreement in North America [with Trinity Industries],” GATX Corporation President and CEO Robert C. Lyons said on Oct. 25.

GATX 3Q22: Demand ‘Strong,’ Lease Rates Rise

“Demand for railcars remains strong across our global fleets,” GATX Corporation President and CEO Robert C. Lyons said during a third-quarter 2022 financial report on Oct. 25. “Fleet utilization at Rail North America remains high at 99.6% and our renewal success rate was 87.2% during the quarter.”

“The start of 2023 was busy at Trinity as we continued to ramp up production and optimize our business,” Trinity President and CEO Jean Savage said.

Trinity’s Savage: ‘Strong Momentum’ for 2023

Trinity Industries on Oct. 25 reported third-quarter 2022 GAAP and adjusted earnings that “show progress and improvement in our business,” according to President and CEO Jean Savage. “We continue to believe we will perform well in the coming years given our robust backlog and the favorable re-pricing environment for lease rates.”

Women in Rail Conference: Whited to Address C-Suite Lessons Learned

Railway Age’s inaugural Rail Insights: Women in Rail Conference will feature Beth Whited, Union Pacific’s Executive Vice President–Sustainability and Strategy. Hearing from leading industry women like Whited, who will cover lessons learned from the Class I railroad C-Suite, is just one reason to participate in this virtual event, to be held Nov. 10, starting at 1:30 p.m. ET. Need more reasons? Here are five.

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