ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern has acquired Great Lakes Reload’s Chicago transload warehouse facility, which handles inbound loads of steel and outbound loads of agricultural and construction equipment.
NS said the deal, announced on Tuesday, advances its strategy to convert so-called flexible freight to rail. Flexible freight can move via truck or rail.
“Transloading solutions play a pivotal role in optimizing rail networks, and this partnership exemplifies our dedication to maximizing efficiency and flexibility for our customers,” Stefan Loeb, Norfolk Southern’s vice president of business development and first and final mile markets, said in a statement. “By acquiring the Great Lakes Reload facility, Norfolk Southern gains access to a unique set of end-to-end supply chain solutions, unlocking significant new business opportunities for existing and future Norfolk Southern customers while preserving the successful operations already in place.”
The 60-acre GLR site has an outdoor rail capacity of 175 cars, a climate-controlled 386,000 square foot warehouse with 13 overhead cranes, 18 indoor rail spots, and indoor box car docks. GLR will continue to operate the facility and support operations for Norfolk Southern.
GLR has the infrastructure and capabilities to store and transload all commodity types, including steel, cement, and lumber.
The facility will continue to be served by Great Lakes Terminal Railroad, a Class III short line. NS acquired 2.69 miles of track in the transaction, which Great Lakes Terminal will lease and continue to operate. Indiana Harbor Belt connects the Great Lakes Terminal to NS.
“This long-term strategic partnership will help us grow Norfolk Southern’s first mile and final mile rail traffic into and out of our Great Lakes Terminal,” Chuck Marias, president of Great Lakes Reloading, said in a statement. “We will continue to provide premium transloading and warehousing services to existing and future customers and are excited to be part of Norfolk Southern’s First and Final Mile Markets network.”
“Providing carload customers a safe and efficient location to land freight in a large important market like Chicago is a game changer,” Loeb said on LinkedIn.
There goes the O.R.